As announced on author J.K. Rowling's website and in dozens of news stories, the seventh and final novel in the hugely popular Harry Potter series will be officially released on July 21, just a week after the latest Potter film hits theaters. Book 7, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows, will wrap up the tale of the boy wizard and his fight against the rising evil of his nemesis, Lord Voldemort. The books have grown progressively darker in tone, with each of the last three novels ending with the death of a significant character, and Deathly Hallows will almost certainly continue that trend, especially given Rowling's previous announcement that two main characters will die this time. Book 6, Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince, was reportedly the fastest-selling book in history when it came out in 2005, selling nearly seven million copies in a single day.
The movie version of Harry Potter And The Order of the Phoenix, fifth in the series and helmed by British director David Yates, is due on July 13.