Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a 2009 fantasy film[4] directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the sixth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Steve Kloves and produced by David Heyman and David Barron.[5] The story follows Harry Potter's sixth year at Hogwarts as he becomes obsessed with 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, culminating with the film's worldwide cinematic release on 15 July 2009, one day short of the fourth anniversary of the corresponding novel's release. In everywhere but the United States, the sixth film was simultaneously released in regular cinemas and IMAX 3D in all countries. Due to North American theatres having a several-week commitment to Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen,[6] the IMAX 3D release of the film occurred on 29 July, two weeks after its original release.[7]
Half-Blood Prince opened to positive reviews along with instant commercial success, breaking the record for the biggest single-day worldwide gross of all time. In five days the film made $394 million, breaking the record for highest five-day worldwide gross in history. With a total gross of $934 million, it became the 8th highest grossing movie of all time[8] and the second highest-grossing film of 2009 (behind Avatar). It is currently the 20th highest-grossing film of all time worldwide unadjusted for inflation.[8] The film attained a mix of awards and nominations, including gaining recognition at the 82nd Academy Awards for Best Cinematography[9] and the 63rd British Academy Film Awards for Best Special Visual Effects and Best Production Design.[10] Half-Blood Prince remains one of the most positively reviewed films within the series among film critics; at the time of its release, it became the third highest rated Harry Potter film on review aggregators Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic. Critics praised the film's "emotionally satisfying" story, direction, cinematography, visuals and music.
