Oh how far he’s come. Harry Potter celebrates his 20th anniversary this month, marking two decades since the Boy Wizard was introduced to audiences.
In that time, he’s spawned five sequels, eight films and turned its author and cast into certified A-list stars.
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Released in 1997, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” (as it was known the U.S.) was the first book in the Potter series from then-unknown author, J.K. Rowling. The book was such an unexpected hit that only 500 copies were printed for its first run.
Word of mouth quickly made “Harry” a bonafide sensation, and Rowling’s universe would never be the same.
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In 2000, Warner Bros. acquired the rights to “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” and began filming the movie adaptation.
The film introduced the world to Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, with Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger. It was the first big break for all three actors.
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was released in theaters in 2002.
By then, Radliffe, Grint and Watson were just beginning to get used to their newfound fame.
The film is also the last to feature Richard Harris as Professor Dumbledore, due to his passing that same year.
WATCH: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, $3.99+
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Potter mania reached a feverish pitch in 2004 with the release of the third film in the franchise, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
The film is widely-considered the best volume in the series, and was the second highest-grossing movie of 2004.
WATCH: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, $3.99+
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Here, the three stars pose for the red carpet at the Azkaban film premiere in New York.
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Rowling launched her fourth book, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” at London’s Kings Cross station in 2000, with a train renamed “The Hogwarts Express.”
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The movie premiere of Goblet took place in London in 2005 and showed Watson becoming a fashion icon not just for young girls, but for women of all ages, too.
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The fifth book in the series, “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” launched with a huge double decker bus campaign in London in 2003. The tagline: “Hip, Hip, Harry!”
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The cast reunited in 2007 to premiere the Order of the Phoenix film (joined here by Katie Leung, who played Cho Chang).
Phoenix was the first Potter film to be released in IMAX 3D.
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By the time “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” came out in 2005, it wasn’t an uncommon sight to see hundreds (if not thousands) of fans lined up overnight to buy their copies of the book.
Booksellers haven’t quite seen a response as powerful as that since.
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Half-Blood Prince opened to immediate success in 2009, breaking the record for the biggest single-day worldwide gross. In five days, it made almost $400 million at the global box office.
It was also nominated at the 82nd Academy Awards for “Best Cinematography” (Curiously, none of the Potter films have ever been nominated for “Best Picture” or in the “Best Actor” category).
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The seventh — and final — book in the Potter series was released in 2007. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” featured one final showdown between Harry and Voldemort.
Rowling, who was reportedly living on welfare when the first book was released, had become an international star herself, rivaling even Oprah as one of the most influential women in the world.
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With the book series coming to an end, the lineups and demand for “Deathly Hallows” was unlike anything the franchise had seen before.
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The final Potter book was split up into two movies. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, premiered in London in 2010.
The film was notable for its more somber and suspenseful tone, which resonated with both critics and the audience, who had grown up with the Potter characters.
WATCH: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1, $3.99+
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Deathly Hallows – Part 2 followed a year later and became the highest-grossing film of 2011 and the highest-grossing film in the Harry Potter series.
Radcliffe, Grint and Watson — along with the rest of their castmates — had become household names, appearing in countless other film, television and theater productions on their own.
Harry Potter may have been winding down, but their careers were just beginning.
WATCH: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, $3.99+
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Want to read more about Harry Potter 20 and see how people are celebrating? We’ve rounded up some ideas HERE.