It’s been 20 years since film fans were introduced to Harry, Hermione, and Ron, who set off on an adventure that would excite millions of fans.
Now, this is a fact that’s straight-up riddikulus: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, the very first movie in the eight-film saga, turns 20 years old this month. As hard as it might be to believe, it somehow really has been two full decades since we were first introduced to Daniel Radcliffe as the Boy Who Lived, plus Emma Watson’s Hermione, Rupert Grint’s Ron, and so many other now-iconic takes on the series’ most beloved characters.
Of course, during these past 20 years, plenty of Potter fans have rewatched Sorcerer’s Stone countless times, becoming so familiar with the film that they’ve memorized everything from the Sorting Hat’s ominous speech to the image Harry sees in the Mirror of Erised (and that’s not even mentioning every harrowing moment of the giant chess game, which has been re-created and parodied so much on TikTok that it’s practically taken on an entire new life).
Despite the movie’s lasting popularity, though, there are still details about its creation that even the biggest Potterheads probably don’t know. So, in honor of the film’s 20th anniversary, we’ve rounded up 15 fun pieces of Sorcerer’s Stone trivia, from the Bruce Springsteen song that almost made it onto the soundtrack to the fact that M. Night Shyamalan was this close to signing on as director (yes, really!). Take a look.
Daniel Radcliffe’s parents originally didn’t want him to be in the movie
As many fans know, Sorcerer’s Stone director Chris Columbus decided that Daniel Radcliffe was his top choice for Harry after watching the preteen’s impressive performance in a BBC production of David Copperfield. But what you might not know is that Radcliffe’s parents at first had no interest in letting their son take on the role. Understandably protective of him and not wanting him to get swept up in Hollywood craziness, they turned down Columbus’ offer to have the young actor audition — only to eventually be convinced after they ran into producer David Heyman and screenwriter Steve Kloves at a London theater and heard the men’s pleas. One sit-down meeting later with Columbus, and Radcliffe’s parents became fully on board, having gained confidence that the director would help protect their child from pressures and the media.
M. Night Shyamalan was nearly the director
Before Warner Bros. chose Chris Columbus as the movie’s director, there were a lot of other big names in consideration, from Rob Reiner to Terry Gilliam to Steven Spielberg, the latter of whom was the studio’s top choice. But due to a number of factors including contrasting visions for the film and other projects Spielberg wanted to take on instead, the director dropped out of consideration — but not before recommending then-up-and-coming M. Night Shyamalan to take his place. Shyamalan declined, but can you imagine how different Sorcerer’s Stone would’ve been if the guy best known for terrifying films like The Sixth Sense had been in charge?
Robin Williams wasn’t allowed to be cast as Hagrid
And Rosie O’Donnell wasn’t allowed to take on the role of Molly Weasley, either. Despite the two actors’ talent, popularity, and strong desire to be in the films (they even said they’d do it without pay!), neither of them made the cut due to their American heritage. J.K. Rowling wanted only British and Irish actors to be cast, so Williams, O’Donnell, and other American contenders were taken out of consideration.
But more than a few American celebs did have cameos
Despite the ban on Yankee actors, a few Americans did make it into the movie through tiny cameo roles. You might’ve already known that Dancing With the Stars pros Julianne and Derek Hough had blink-and-you-miss-it appearances, but did you know that Drew Barrymore was also given a cameo in an original draft of the script? Who knows for sure why it didn’t end up happening, but Barrymore’s instantly recognizable voice was likely a main reason.
The final scene was shot first
The very last scene of Sorcerer’s Stone, when Harry and his friends board the train to return home for the summer and say goodbye to Hogwarts, was, ironically, the very first scene shot for the film. It may have felt weird to film so early on, but the actors managed to channel their characters’ complicated emotions with ease.
The crew hung a dead mouse from Aunt Petunia’s apron to get the owls’ attention
During a 2019 interview with The A.V. Club, actress Fiona Shaw revealed that the production crew struggled to get the owls to look directly at her rather than the camera in the scenes set at Privet Drive. So, in a stroke of gross genius, they tied a dead mouse to the front of Shaw’s apron, which successfully lured the owls to focus on Aunt Petunia only.
The Great Hall ceiling was created entirely with CGI
To build the most memorable set of Sorcerer’s Stone, Hogwarts’ Great Hall, the crew made use of many real elements, such as York stone for the floor, candle-shaped holders suspended from wires, and edible food and drinks to cover the tables. The gorgeous, elaborate ceiling, though, was created completely using CGI; in reality, there was nothing but studio stage lighting above the students’ heads.
J.K. Rowling was nearly Lily Potter
Could you imagine?! Originally, producers asked Rowling if she wanted to play Lily during the scene when Harry sees his parents in the Mirror of Erised, but the author turned it down because she didn’t think that, as a non-actress, she was right for the role. Geraldine Somerville, the actress who instead played Lily, must’ve been very appreciative.
The kids all did their real homework during those school scenes
Sure, starring in a movie can be fun, but for child actors, it’s not always a walk in the park. Case in point: The young cast members of Sorcerer’s Stone did their actual homework during all the school scenes in order to make their focus and frustration seem more real. Hey, at least they were multitasking!
The actor who played Filch got really into character
Now, this is commitment: In order to truly connect with the isolated lifestyle of Hogwarts caretaker Argus Filch, actor David Bradley spent the month before filming began tucked away in an Irish cottage, totally alone save for — you guessed it — his cat. It may have been rough, but it resulted in a perfectly grumpy performance Potter fans will never forget.
Daniel Radcliffe majorly pranked Robbie Coltrane on set
It’s widely known that Radcliffe and his preteen costars whiled away their time filming Sorcerer’s Stone by goofing off, but one particular prank from the actor really stands out. At some point during filming, Radcliffe messed with Robbie Coltrane (aka Hagrid) by changing the language on his phone to Turkish, forcing the befuddled actor to have to call the Turkish father of the film’s hair designer to learn how to change it back. Luckily, Radcliffe felt bad enough for the chaos that he ended up apologizing to Coltrane for the prank, so all was well between the duo.
Rupert Grint got hurt during the chess game scene
Every Potter fan vividly remembers the chess game scene in the movie’s third act, but the behind-the-scenes drama was just as intense. While filming the part where Ron is attacked by the queen and falls to the ground, Rupert Grint actually got hurt; if you look closely enough, a rock can be seen hitting his cheek right after he collapses. Thankfully, the injury was minor, and Grint, like Ron, recovered in no time.
There could’ve been a Bruce Springsteen song on the soundtrack
Sorcerer’s Stone, like all Harry Potter movies, is known for its emotional score composed and conducted by John Williams. But originally, the film’s soundtrack was also going to include a song by none other than Bruce Springsteen. The track, called “I’ll Stand by You Always,” was recorded and made it into early cuts of the movie, but the producers cut it from the final edition — which was probably a good idea, since hearing the Boss’ voice play over some Hogwarts scene would’ve been too jarring for viewers. If you’re curious, though, you can listen to the song here and judge for yourself.
Malfoy sneakily references James Bond
Bet you didn’t catch this — when Harry first meets Malfoy (Tom Felton) early in the film, the Slytherin student introduces himself as “Malfoy, Draco Malfoy.” It’s a purposeful homage to James Bond’s iconic introduction, and a fitting choice for a wizard who’d go on to straddle the line between good and evil.
Harry never casts a spell in the movie
Yes, seriously. Despite being the Chosen One, a great wizard-in-training, etc., Harry doesn’t cast a single spell during Sorcerer’s Stone. It’s true that he accidentally does magic a few different times throughout the film, but he never once actually casts a spell successfully. That moment comes in The Chamber of Secrets, thankfully.
