Magical ever after?

Box office analysts say that the Harry Potter actors, whom the film series has earned a lot of attention, have a major challenge before them — how to keep their careers magical after the franchise ends.

Even though the franchise has earned almost 4.5 billion dollars across the world, box office experts say that the franchise’s young stars are heading towards a major crossroads.

“The success that they’ve had in the eight years would make an entire career for most people, but they’ve turned into really good actors over the course of the last few years and hopefully that ability will help them transcend these roles,” the New York Daily News quoted Paul Dergarabedian, box office analyst for Hollywood.com, as saying.

However, a look at the movie industry shows the wreckage of the careers of former child actors that could not make the transition into adult roles.

For every Jodie Foster, there are said to be a dozen Lindsay Lohans and Macaulay Culkins.

“They’re waiting for you to become the stereotypical child actor and go off the wheels a bit. But I’m not planning on it. We’re too busy to go too crazy, anyway, because we’re filming most of the year,” says Potter veteran Rupert Grint.

The actors may have one major advantage over child actors of the past — they are working with a cast heavy on award-winning British veterans like Alan Rickman and Dame Maggie Smith.

Daniel Radcliffe said he agreed to take on his gutsy role in Equus on castmate Kenneth Branagh’s commendation.

“Can you imagine how intimidating that must have been for them when they were starting out? By osmosis, they’ve probably been picking up so much, because the only actors they’ve ever worked with are these incredible veterans who are the best at what they do,” says director David Yates.