The first part of the final Harry Potter film has just had itspremiere in London. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows marks the end of the almost ten-year fantasy film franchise.

The young stars of the films have been in the limelight for almost a decade but now it's the beginning of the end for the Hogwarts schoolmates and for fans of the films.

The first film was screened in 2001. The girls and boys who watched it then have grown up, perhaps more quickly than the on-screencharacters. Certainly the films have got darker and scarier and this latest episode is a long way from the original film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

The Harry Potter effect has certainly been profitable,becoming one of the highest- grossing film series of all time. But is it because of the story or because of its high-profilemarketing campaign? Xan Brooks talks about the films in The Guardian newspaper saying "It's hard tomourn the demise of a franchise that was never more than half-alive to begin with… after all this time and all these films, it is as though we never really knew you at all."

Others may disagree and for the cast it's been a franchise that has launched their careers. The actor Daniel Radcliffe told the BBC he hasfond memories of playing the wizard Harry Potter but "as ten years with one character I'm ready to move on as well".

Rupert Grint, who plays Ron Weasley, agrees that playing the role has been a great start to his acting career but he admits "it has been hard toadjust really because it's been a huge part of my life".

The downside of actors playing the same person for so many years is that they can become typecast. The audience just can't think of them playing another character.

But Daniel Radcliffe has already made appearances on stage and is set to perform in a Broadway musical. Emma Watson, who plays Hermione Granger, has already made her modelling debut for the fashion brand Burberry.

The second part of this final story will be screened next year. After that, for die-hard fans of Harry Potter the legacy will live on in J.K. Rowling's books and also through a theme park in Florida called The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. And maybe the wizard will cast some of his magic on the author's future projects.