Daniel Radcliffe thinks the Harry Potter series and Star Wars has a lot in common.
Daniel plays the leading role in the film series adapted from J.K. Rowling’s incredibly successful Harry Potter children’s books. With worldwide earnings of nearly $1 billion for each of the eight film adaptations, the Harry Potter franchise is a tremendous Hollywood institution. Daniel compares Harry Potter’s cinematic success to George Lucas’ Star Wars franchise, but believes there is one key difference.
“What Star Wars and [Harry] Potter have in common is a huge devoted fan base,” Daniel explained to Moviefone. “Where they differ, I think there is a slightly more balanced split between the sexes in the fan base of Potter. I associate Star Wars as being a predominantly male thing. And I think Potter is split more evenly.”
Daniel believes that both franchises have acted as cultural catalysts of sorts. Star Wars and Harry Potter both had lasting effects on generations of viewers.
“I think the difference is because Potter started out as a book, it's created a generation of literary nerds in a way that Star Wars perhaps didn't,” Daniel explained. “But, basically, it's all the same. I mean, I do think of Potter as being this generation's Star Wars. It's something that an entire generation has lost themselves in and it's a meticulously created, detailed world. So I do think that's the closest thing to compare it to.”
