Why rename it Sorcerer's Stone?

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The marketing teams in America didn't think kids would see a movie with "Philospher" in the title

Americans, amirite?

It's something I will never really understand. The general reason that's given is that Americans don't understand what a philosopher is or more importantly, they've never heard of the myth of the 'Philosopher's Stone'. Which is the same disadvantage as for audiences everywhere else including the UK. Yet there was an extra pressure for the title to be changed in the US and unfortunately JK Rowling caved in (she now regrets this).

To appeal to the American audience. This was a marketing decision made by author Rowling and Scholastic, the publishing house that released the novel in the United States. The decision to change Philosopher to Sorcerer was made because, in the U.S., a philosopher connotes a scholar of philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, logic, and other related fields. Philosopher does not typically connote an alchemist or magician, and magic is essential to the Harry Potter books. Consequently, the publisher suggested using another word with a more magical connotation, and Rowling suggested Sorcerer. Rowling gives this explanation: "Arthur Levine, my American editor, and I decided that words should be altered only where we felt they would be incomprehensible, even in context, to an American reader. The title change was Arthur's idea initially, because he felt that the British title gave a misleading idea of the subject matter. In England, we discussed several alternative titles and Sorcerer's Stone was my idea." For the movie, the different titles were used in different markets, and each scene where the Stone's name is used had to be filmed twice, once with "Philosopher's Stone" in the dialogue and once with "Sorcerer's Stone."


That is how it is explained in the Frequently Asked Questions on the page for this movie

English discrepancy. It is the same reason why there is an English (UK) language and an American English (U.S.) language. Biscuit is not the same as cookie. Chips mean totally entirely different things. Chips in England mean fries, in the U.S. Crisps are the actual chips in England. I am betting Philosopher means something different in the U.S., at least somewhat minutely.

Then again, if it had to do with academic level, maybe JK Rowling and publishers thought we were all stupid in the U.S. People in England know what a Philosopher means, in the same grade level, we are learning the color blue. It's not totally incorrect. Our education standards in the U.S. are abysmal compared to European countries.

RIO OLYMPICS!!!! August 5th!

maybe I'm a dumb but when I was a kid Philosopher's Stone would not have been as appealing as Sorcerer's Stone.

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