Magic was in the air Thursday night as the midnight hour drew near. Muggle fans of J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” series flocked to theaters to see the first half of the film adaptation of the final book in the seven-part saga, bringing in a total of $61 million on opening night.
While the books and the films based on them are targeted at “young adults,” that certainly didn’t stop hordes of college-age (and above) fans from indulging in this cultural phenomenon.
“I’m a huge fan,” said Caitlin Brown, a senior at Eastern Michigan University studying dance. “I’ve read all the books and seen almost all the movies at midnight.”
Many of the people in attendance at movie theaters across the country, including the Rave Cinema on Carpenter Road, have been interested in the series since its United States beginning in 1998 and grew up with the heroes.
“I started reading them after the first one came out,” Brown said. “I feel like one of those solid, truthful fans. There are so many good messages, and it’s a great escape.”
The connection so many people feel toward the books was expected to be shown that night, not just through dedication and costumes, but reactions as well.
“I’ve enjoyed the movie experience,” senior and marketing major Nate Gleeton said. “I think we’ll see some tears.”
While the experience of new Potter releases is coming to a close, it will be a bittersweet experience for fans.
“I started reading them in the third grade,” sophomore and finance major Andrew Saunders said. “[The end] is unfortunate, but it’s something to look forward to.”
Many of the more die-hard fans came out hours early and in full costume. Senior business major Jason Jacob was one of those who showed his spirit in costume, dressed as a quidditch player.
“I love Harry Potter,” he said. “I’m a die hard, I’ve been waiting for this for a year.”
The theater was filled with Hogwarts students, storybook villains and even a golden snitch. It seemed like everyone wanted a piece of the magic.
“I’ve read each book seven times each,” Jacob said. “It’s the magic. I’m a big fan of magic. I love seeing it, it’s like real life to me.”
The real magic, however, wasn’t just made on-screen with special effects. It began when Rowling started writing the story of the world of Harry Potter on a train in 1990 and grew when more and more people were welcomed into it.
“I’ve read them all three times, they’re very captivating,” senior and business major Josh Futerman said. “JK Rowling is a creative and original writer. They’re easy to relate to, it’s a good story. It just doesn’t get old.”
For many, the magic of this movie isn’t going to stop when the credits roll either.
“I’ll be sad, but it has to end,” Brown said. “That’s why they have DVDs.”
But Potter’s biggest fans aren’t at the end of their journey yet. The seventh and final installment has been split into two films in order to stay as true as possible to the original text and the Harry Potter world isn’t arguing.
“I’m excited they split it into two movies,” Jacob said. “It’s terrible it has to end, but I think it will go out with a boom.”
If the theater Thursday night, and the opening night gross, which is expected to double or even triple over the weekend, was any indication, a boom it will be. The final installment of ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ comes out on July 15 of next year.