It’s a debate as old as time – which Harry Potter film is actually the best of the lot?
Though there were only seven books written by J.K. Rowling, the film franchise sprawled eight epic feature-length films, and all of them had their own charm.
Whether you quite liked the innocence of the cast’s younger years at Hogwarts or much preferred when things got waaaay darker towards the end of the series, there’s a Harry Potter film for you.
But one of the highest-rated films is actually Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which chronicles Harry’s third year at Hogwarts – and it’s coming back to cinemas, The Manc reports.
It’s all to celebrate the film’s 20th anniversary – can you believe it’s been two whole decades since it was released to the world?
Well, whether it’s something you can wrap your head around it or not, the beloved film officially hit cinemas on 23 May 2004… and then, from that date onwards, the rest is history, as they say.
Starring Daniel Radcliffe as the title character, alongside Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, as well as a hugely-star-studded wider supporting cast, the movie went on to gross a whopping $804 million worldwide, and has not only earned its place in fans’, but was also widely-praised by critics at the time.
In fact, according to critic websites such as Rotten Tomatoes, IMDb, and Metacritic, it’s actually one of the best-rated films in the franchise.
And now, to celebrate this impressive 20-year milestone, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is making a return to UK cinemas from the end of this month, and this means you’ll be able to rally together your fellow Potterheads and head to your nearest screen to immersive yourself in all the nostalgia.
A synopsis for the beloved blockbuster – which is based on the 1999 novel of the same name, and was directed by acclaimed director, Alfonso Cuaron – explains: “Harry Potter is lucky to reach the age of 13, particularly since he has survived the murderous attacks of the feared Dark Lord on more than one occasion.
“But, his hopes for a quiet school term concentrating on Quidditch are dashed when a maniacal mass-murderer escapes from Azkaban, pursued by the soul-sucking Dementors who guard the prison.
“It’s assumed that Hogwarts is the safest place for Harry to be.. but is it a coincidence that he can feel eyes watching him in the dark? And should he be taking Professor Trelawney’s ghoulish predictions seriously?”
Several cinema chains will be showing Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban at a whole host of sites across Greater Manchester from the 31 May onwards.
Vue, Odeon, Cineworld, and Everyman Cinemas are just a few of the participating companies.
Fancy it then? If you’re a big Harry Potter fan and are keen to reminisce on an important film from your younger years, then tickets to see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in UK cinemas are now on sale.
You can book tickets to a screening online from your chosen participating cinema.
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Featured image: Warner Bros
