Though Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 has been widely regarded as the end of an era for Potter fans, author J.K. Rowling hints that there may be more to the story.
At the London premiere of the eighth (and supposedly final) film in the franchise, Rowling told an enthusiastic audience that although she had no immediate plans to bring the story back to life, she would “never say never.”
“It is my baby and if I want to bring it out to play again I will,” she said.
Her boy wizard first came to life in 1997, when Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was published to only 1,000 copies. The seven novel series has since sold over 450 million copies and been translated into 67 languages.
Looking back on the film franchise, which began in 2001, title star Daniel Radcliffe told the U.K.’s Telegraph, “It is a moment when you have to let yourself sit back and think that this is pretty damn cool. There is a little sadness but generally speaking it is a day to be elated.”
Emma Watson added that her role as Hermione Granger has shaped her life.
“Hermione’s been like my sister. She feels so real to me,” Watson said. “I will miss being her. That is devastating. She has pushed me and made me a better person.”
Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley, admits that the mania surrounding tonight’s premiere might just be his favorite moment of the past ten years. Though he confesses, “Every film has just been so special.”
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 debuts tonight in London and will open in the U.S. on July 15.
