Ten years and eight movies later, the Harry Potter movie series is coming to an end. The final movie, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2,” premiers in theaters Friday. It is set to open at midnight.
In 1998 the first novel, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” hit U.S. bookstores; three years later the movie of the same title was released. The subsequent six books were turned into seven movies, with the last tome divided into a two-part cinematic finale.
Cast members Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint have grown up over the course of the “Potter” series.
“It was incredibly emotional,” said Watson, who plays the brainy Hermione Granger, on the “Live with Regis and Kelly” morning show. “We filmed the whole movie in the same studio, with the same crew that’s known me since I was 10.”
But Watson also she said she was looking forward to the change: “Its exciting … it feels like I get a fresh start.”
Other actors felt slightly different about moving on.
Redhead Rupert Grint, who portrayed Ron Weasley in the series, said, “Just being on set, and that camaraderie we established over ten years, it was like a family and suddenly I don’t have that anymore. It’s a big adjustment. I underestimated that, but I think it will get easier with time.”
