Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy film directed by David Yates and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.^[3] It is based on J. K. Rowling‘s 2005 novel of the same name. The film, which is the sixth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, was written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman and David Barron. The story follows Harry Potter‘s sixth year at Hogwarts as he receives a mysterious textbook, falls in love, and attempts to retrieve a memory that holds the key to Lord Voldemort‘s downfall.

The film stars Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, alongside Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as Harry’s best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. It is the sequel to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and is followed by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1.

Filming began on 24 September 2007, leading to the film’s worldwide cinematic release on 15 July 2009, one day short of the fourth anniversary of the corresponding novel’s release. With an estimated budget of $250 million, it is the 15th most expensive film ever made and the most expensive film in the Harry Potter film series. The film was simultaneously released in regular cinemas and IMAX 3D everywhere except North America, where its IMAX release was delayed for two weeks.^[5]

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince premiered in London on 7 July 2009 and was released theatrically worldwide on 15 July. The film was a major commercial success, breaking the record for the biggest single-day worldwide gross. In five days the film made $394 million, breaking the record for highest five-day worldwide gross. With a total gross of $934 million, it became the 8th-highest-grossing film of all time and 2009’s second-highest-grossing film (behind Avatar). It is the fifth-highest-grossing film in the franchise.

The film received positive reviews, with praise for Yates’s direction and the performances, Delbonnel’s cinematography, musical score, and “emotionally satisfying” story. The film was nominated at the 82nd Academy Awards for Best Cinematography and the 63rd British Academy Film Awards for Best Special Visual Effects and Best Production Design.