Film File - Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows

All good things must come to an end sometime. Whether you were an uninterested bystander to the series of novels-turned-blockbusters by JK Rowling or a fanatical fan who stayed tuned to every twist and turn of this epic story, the final chapters are set to unfold into what will surely be one of the biggest film endings of all time. Few people around the world are immune to Muggle mania at this stage and the two-part climax, which begins this Friday and completes in July 2011, unravels into the maturing of that boy with the glasses and his equally grown-up buddies. This first 'Deathly Hallows' outing sees Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) fleeing Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry to track down what might be a device capable of bringing down the master of evil arts, Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes). The three friends commence the ultimate adventure to discover and ultimately destroy the secret of Voldemort's immortality and destruction - the Horcruxes. On a solitary mission, without the guidance of Hogwarts or the security of Professor Dumbledore, the three friends are forced to rely on their own invention and friendship to thwart the dark forces in their midst threatening to tear them apart. The wizardry that has seen Harry & Co successfully arrive on the cusp of early adulthood has now become a dangerous target for all enemies of the Dark Lord as the long-awaited war begins with Voldemort's Death Eaters taking control of the Ministry of Magic and terrorising anyone who dares to oppose or stand in their way. For the evil forces, there is one ultimate victim - Harry himself. As the Chosen One, Harry has become the hunted one as the Death Eaters range high and low with orders to bring him to Voldemort - alive. For the redoubtable Mr Potter, the only salvation is to find the Horcruxes before Voldemort finds him. It is during this search that Harry uncovers the ancient legend of the Deathly Hallows, a legend which could deliver to Voldemort the ultimate power he desperately craves. With echoes of Luke Skywalker, Harry is unaware that his future has already been decided by his past when he became 'the boy who lived'. Almost a man now, Harry Potter is unwittingly approaching the phase of his life that has been foretold in destiny since that first fateful day he crossed the threshold of Hogwarts as forces beyond his control pit him against the might of the underworld and Voldemort's quest for ultimate power. As expected, the cast is grade A quality with Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, Fiona Shaw, Bill Nighy, Richard Griffiths, Julie Walters and Brendan Gleeson just a sampling of the talent on display. With sales of the Rowling books almost topping the half a billion mark at this point, the combined films should well exceed €6 billion at the box office when the final spell has been cast. This must surely top even the wildest predictions made when Chris Columbus directed the first 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' in 2001. Taking audiences on a unique journey of boy to man against a background of magic, spectacle and pimples over the last 10 years, the films have successfully reflected their original material through darker and more complex storylines and Harry and his mates matured into their roles. Having chosen to keep the stories decidedly English despite early urgings by the likes of Steven Spielberg that they become more Americanised by casting Haley Joel Osment in the title role, Rowling's original material has been faithfully adapted into one of cinema's most successful and enduring franchises. The writer herself has made over €650 million from book sales - the tip of the iceberg when royalties into the future are calculated. Even the late Michael Jackson wanted into the act at one point, imploring Rowling unsuccessfully to let him make a Broadway musical of the series. The franchise even spawned a Harry Potter third-level academic degree at Durham University. The module, part of the Education Studies BA degree, focuses on the 'social, cultural and educational context' of the series. In the USA, a lecturer at Tennessee State University gives a seminar on Muggles & Mental Health - an interesting proposition for any student. Even the criminal drugs trade tried to cash in on Pottermania with a specially concocted ecstasy pill featuring an embossed witch on a broomstick appearing in Australia in 2003. Choosing to use different directors turned out to be a hugely successful ploy, despite some of the films being received to less acclaim than others. Chris Columbus kicked it off with the 'Philosopher's Stone' followed by the 'Chamber of Secrets', with 'The Prisoner of Azkaban' helmed by Alfonso Cuaron. Mike Newell took on the fourth, 'The Goblet of Fire', followed by David Yates for the fifth instalment, 'The Order of the Phoenix' - a success that saw him rehired for 2009's 'The Half-Blood Prince' and the two upcoming 'Deathly Hallows' films. The greatest praise for Yates came from the ultimate source: “It's not very often,†declared Emily Watson, “that, in the middle of film-making, you stop and go: 'This is going to be awesome'.†For die-hard fans and curious bystanders, it looks like being an ending to remember.