Listen up muggles, if you want to know how many Harry Potter films there are (including spin-offs) or you want to know what the best order to watch the Harry Potter movies is, then you’ve come to the right place. This post can provide you with all of the answers, without leading you down a dark Diagon Alley.
Below I will set out the viewing order for all the movies, ensuring you know exactly what films to watch and in what order to watch them! This post will cover all of the films within The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, so expect details on the Fantastic Beasts movies too.
Right, enough chatter – school’s out, lets start with the first lesson.
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The Harry Potter and the Fantastic Beast movies
Wizarding World™ Publishing Rights ©J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)*
Originally published as a series of seven fantasy novels by author, J. K. Rowling, the Harry Potter books were first adapted for the big screen in 2001. The initial entry was Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone which introduced cinemagoers to Harry, his best friends Ron and Hermione, and the school they attend – Hogwarts, a school for witchcraft and wizardry.
In the movie, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are in their first year at Hogwarts, and are trying their best to understand the wonders of the wizarding world, however, all three soon become entangled in a mystery which could be connected to a notoriously evil wizard named Lord Voldermort. (152 mins)
*Please note: In the US Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was re-titled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
Upon release in 2001, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was a huge hit with audiences and was quickly followed in 2002 with the first sequel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
In this movie, Harry, Ron, and Hermione return to Hogwarts for their second year, but soon find themselves caught up in the midst of another mystery. This time it is connected with the intriguing Chamber of Secrets, which is located deep underneath the school. (161 mins)
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
The third instalment in the Harry Potter film series made its debut in 2004, under the title Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The film centred its story around convicted murderer Sirius Black, who has escaped from Azkaban prison and could be on his way to Hogwarts. (142 mins)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
Movie number four arrived in 2005, titled Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. In this film, Harry, Ron, and Hermione are now in their fourth year at Hogwarts, which this year is hosting a special event known as the Triwizard Tournament. (157 mins)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
With the Harry Potter movie series continuing to wow audiences the world over, movie number five made its debut in 2007. Titled Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, in this movie Harry learns that the Ministry of Magic is in denial about the potential return of Lord Voldemort. (138 mins)
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
Debuting in 2009, movie number six is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. In this entry, Harry works with Hogwarts headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, to find a way to destroy Voldermort. (153 mins)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One (2010)
After adapting six of the Harry Potter books for the big screen, Warner Bros. Pictures decided that when it came to adapting the seventh and final book, the series needed to go out on a high. So, due to the length of the book, as well as the desire to create an epic (and more profitable) finale to the movie series, the studio opted to split the seventh novel into two movies.
The first entry, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One would make its debut in 2010, with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two hitting screens a year later in 2011. The first film would also end on a cliff-hanger, as a hook to bring audiences back for the final chapter.
In this opening instalment, Harry, Ron, and Hermione go on a quest to uncover and destroy Voldemort’s secret to immortality – the Horcruxes. (146 mins)
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two (2011)
Picking up the story laid out in Part One, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two continued Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s quest for Horcuxes. This prompts Voldermort to launch a devastating attack on Hogwarts, resulting in an epic showdown between good and evil. (130 mins)
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
Although Harry Potter’s story concluded on the big screen with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two, this wasn’t the end for ‘The Wizarding World‘. Keen to keep the Harry Potter story alive, Warner Bros. Pictures gave the go-ahead for a collection of spin-off movies that would be part of the series, but would also act as prequels.
The first movie entry was based on J. K. Rowling’s book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Set in 1926, decades before the events of the Harry Potter films, the movie focused on wizard and magizoologist, Newt Scamander, and his encounter with dark wizard, Gellert Grindelwald. (133 mins)
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
Due to the critical and commercial success of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Warner Bros. green lit a second instalment titled Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. The film debuted in 2018, and picked up the story a few months later, with Grindelwald having escaped imprisonment. (134 mins)
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)
A third Fantastic Beasts movie hit screens in 2022, under the title Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. Set several years after The Crimes of Grindelwald, the movie saw Newt Scamander and his allies sent on a mission into the heart of Gellert Grindelwald’s army. (142 mins)
Wizarding World™ Publishing Rights ©J.K. Rowling
The Wizarding World movies in production order
Should you wish to watch the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies in order, follow this list:
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One (2010)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two (2011)
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
- Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)
If you watch the movies in the above order, you can follow the film series as it was originally released. However, there is an alternative viewing order…
The Wizarding World movies in chronological timeline order
If you wish to watch the Harry Potter movies and the Fantastic Beasts films in chronological timeline order, then follow this list:
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
- Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One (2010)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two (2011)
This list places the films into the correct timeline order, starting with the Fantastic Beasts films before jumping forward in time to the Harry Potter collection.
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Who are the cast of the Wizarding World movies and are the films the work of the same director?
Wizarding World™ Publishing Rights ©J.K. Rowling
The Harry Potter movies
The Harry Potter movies are led by Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, playing the characters Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, respectively. The trio of young actors appear in all eight Harry Potter films.
Other notable actors in the Harry Potter film series include Richard Harris, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane, Alan Rickman, Ralph Fiennes, Julie Walters, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Timothy Spall, Julie Christie, Emma Thompson, Eric Sykes, David Tennant, Roger Lloyd-Pack, Robert Pattinson, Matthew Lewis, Tom Felton, John Cleese, John Hurt, Harry Melling, Fiona Shaw, David Bradley, Warwick Davis, Helena Bonham Carter, Zoë Wanamaker, Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Bonnie Wright, Dawn French, Julian Glover, Toby Jones, Robert Hardy, Kenneth Branagh, Miriam Margolyes, Paul Whitehouse, Pam Ferris, Lenny Henry, Frances de la Tour, Brendan Gleeson, Miranda Richardson, Jarvis Cocker, Jessica Hynes, Imelda Staunton, Ralph Ineson, Rhys Ifans, Bill Nighy, and Jim Broadbent.
The Fantastic Beasts movies
The Fantastic Beasts movies are led by Eddie Redmayne, playing the role of Newt Scamander. Notable actors in this collection of films include Jude Law, Colin Farrell, Johnny Depp, Mads Mikkelsen, Richard Coyle, Ezra Miller, Samantha Morton, Ron Perlman, Katherine Waterston, Jon Voight, Zoë Kravitz, Victoria Yeates, and Jessica Williams.
In terms of directors, the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies are the work of the following:
- Chris Columbus directed Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Alfonso Cuarón directed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
- Mike Newell directed Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
- David Yates directed Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part Two, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
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And finally, which is the best Wizarding World movie?
Wizarding World™ Publishing Rights ©J.K. Rowling
According to IMDb, the Wizarding World movies are rated as follows:
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) – 7.6/10
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) – 7.4/10
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) – 7.9/10
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) – 7.7/10
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) – 7.5/10
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) – 7.6/10
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) – 7.7/10
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) – 8.1/10
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) – 7.2/10
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) – 6.5/10
- Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) – 6.2/10
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Thank you for stopping by It’s A Stampede! to read this post about the Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts. For more movie posts, be sure to check out the recommended reads below.
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