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With seven books, eight films, a spinoff film series, and an upcoming TV show, Harry Potter is undeniably one of the most recognizable franchises in the world, and the name is now synonymous with magic. While it has not held the films back, Harry Potter’s first film has a rather confusing title — not because of the title itself, but because of its inconsistency. The first entry into the magical world has two English titles, as it is known as Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone in the U.K. and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the U.S. This is not unique to the films, as it was a choice made when publishing the original books, which has spilled over into the adaptations. These days, most fans know that these refer to the same story, but why have two different names in the first place?
Why Does the First ‘Harry Potter’ Have Two Names?
Originally titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone when published in the U.K. in 1997, the story introduced Harry (played in the films by Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends. Yet, when author JK Rowling hoped to sell the book in American markets, she faced a challenge. Scholastic editor Arthur A. Levine wanted to change the title. It isn’t unheard of for different countries to use different names for marketing purposes. Levine felt that U.S. audiences would be more likely to be interested if the book had a more magic-sounding title. It’s worth noting that the books, especially the early ones, are aimed at a young audience, so there is some logic to Levine’s concerns about readers believing the “philosopher’s stone” may have had more to do with philosophy than magic.
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The opportunity to bring Harry Potter to a new audience was too good to pass up, so Rowling agreed to change the name, though not as much as Levine wanted. His suggestion was “Harry Potter and the School of Magic.” However, they settled on “Sorcerer’s Stone,” keeping it close to the original title while making a clear connection to the magic that is essential to the story. Whether because of the name change or the incredible story, Harry Potter did catch on in America, so changing the name surely didn’t hurt.
The Philosopher’s Stone Has More History To It
While the names are similar and refer to the same object that Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) is searching for (which also needed a name change in the U.S. version), there is a distinct difference. There is a long history to the philosopher’s stone outside the Harry Potter series, which is in part why U.K. readers did not have the issues Levine feared. In legend, the philosopher’s stone was tied to the practice of alchemy and was said to be able to turn metals into silver or gold. It also was involved in creating the Elixir of Life, which is much like it’s used in Harry Potter. This rich history is what the book was named after, enhancing the original name. On the other hand, “sorcerer” was a way to say Harry and his friends were dealing with magic.
The Films Made Different Versions for Each Title
As a whole, the title changes quite little. Whether it is called the sorcerer’s stone or the philosopher’s stone, Dumbledore (Richard Harris) still hides it, Voldemort still hides on the back of Professor Quirrell’s (Ian Hart) head to get to it, and Harry, Ron (Rupert Grint), and Hermione (Emma Watson) still go after it. Yet, rather than picking one or the other while adapting the book, the film chose to do both. With the U.S. and U.K. versions released with their respective titles, the films didn’t cause confusion with fans who did not know about the title change. But the film took it further than the advertising. Warner Bros made slightly different versions for these regions because not only is the word changed in the audio, but when Hermione finds the information about Nicolas Flamel, the page she reads from has either “sorcerer’s stone” or “philosopher’s stone” printed on it, depending on the version. The attention to detail shows the lengths the film went to honor both versions of the book, especially considering this visual is only briefly on screen. While there is some debate among fans over which title is better, neither is wrong, and the films reinforce that.
An orphaned boy enrolls in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world.
- Release Date
- November 16, 2001
- Cast
- Daniel Radcliffe , Rupert Grint , Emma Watson , John Cleese , Robbie Coltrane , Warwick Davis , Richard Griffiths , Ian Hart , John Hurt , Alan Rickman , Fiona Shaw , Maggie Smith
- Runtime
- 152 Minutes
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is available to stream on Max in the U.S.
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