Every Harry Potter Movie In Order (2024)

Ever since the first Harry Potter film apparated into theaters back in 2001, the hidden sights and wonders of the Wizarding World have captured imaginations at a scale few other franchises have ever dreamt of seeing. And it’s not hard to see why this film and book series is so popular. The story features lovable characters who are challenged through mysteries that intrigue us at every turn across settings so lovingly rebuilt from the novels that inspired them.

So, maybe you’re looking to step back into the warm nostalgia of watching these films in your youth. Or perhaps you’re new to the franchise and are now wondering which of the many films come before the other. So below, let’s explore the story of the famous boy who lived by stepping through the Harry Potter movies in order.

Harry Potter Books

The eight Harry Potter films are adapted from seven Harry Potter fantasy novels. The first of these, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, hit bookshelves in 1997. From there, each sequel followed one-to-three years after, with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows finishing the story by 2007.

While some fans decry the differences between the books and films, the movies do largely remain faithful to their source material. All seven books are written by author J.K. Rowling who, largely due to the success of Harry Potter, is frequently listed among the highest paid authors in the world. However, more recently, her public comments regarding the transgender community have raised controversy and concern, with some fans struggling with the implications of all this on their love for the Harry Potter franchise. Apart from the Wizarding World though, Rowling also writes other works, including her crime fiction series Cormoran Strike, which she publishes under the name Robert Galbraith.

Harry Potter Movies In Order Of Release

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010)
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011)

Harry Potter Movies In Chronological Order

Unlike with some film franchises, the Harry Potter films progress through time linearly. In other words, the chronological and release orders here are the same. However, as the films do not come with numbered titles letting you know which comes after which, below we’ll list out, in further detail, how to watch them in order.

All eight movies are currently streaming on both Max and Peaco*ck.

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (or Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone internationally) (2001)

The first film is directed by Chris Columbus (of Home Alone fame) and stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Harry Melling, Richard Harris, Robbie Coltrane, Ian Hart and Alan Rickman. The film captured the imaginations of children and families from the start and remains a favorite today, holding an 81% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The grand story begins when Harry Potter, an unassuming orphan living with his abusive aunt and uncle, learns from the friendly Hagrid that not only is he a wizard, but also that time has come to begin his education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, overseen by Headmaster Dumbledore. But then Harry also learns that he, as an infant, defeated Voldemort when the evil wizard’s curse rebounded back onto him and thereby ended his reign. But now, as Harry befriends students Ron and Hermione, the trio grow suspicious that one of their professors seeks to steal the sorcerer’s stone in order to bring Voldemort back to power. And so, the friends investigate to try and thwart a dark end.

2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Director Chris Columbus returns for the immediate sequel in a movie starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Richard Harris, Toby Jones, Bonnie Wright, Tom Felton, Jason Isaacs and Kenneth Branagh. The film was praised as a strong sequel that kept the magic going, and sits above its predecessor at 82% on Rotten Tomatoes.

In this tonally darker entry, the events begin when the house elf Dobby warns Harry not to return to Hogwarts. But when Harry does anyway, a series of mysterious attacks unfold on a handful of the castle’s inhabitants, along with a message that the rumored Chamber of Secrets, said to house a deadly beast within the school, had been re-opened by a secret enemy. So, the trio get to work again to solve this mystery, concocting potions, stepping into a magical memory and ultimately coming face to face with a sliver of Voldemort himself.

3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Then, celebrated auteur Alfonso Cuarón came on board to direct the series’ third entry in a film starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Gary Oldman, David Thewlis, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman and Timothy Spall. It is the second highest rated film in the series on Rotten Tomatoes with a 90% score.

When Harry returns this time to Hogwarts, he learns that the criminal Sirius Black, who helped Voldemort murder Harry’s parents years ago, has escaped prison and is now coming to kill Harry. Meanwhile Professor Lupin, an old friend of Harry’s father, joins the school and helps Harry learn some powerful magic. Ultimately all parties collide at the Shrieking Shack where Harry and his allies come face to face with a foe they never could have expected. And then they resort to a solution that sends them hurling back in time.

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

Director Mike Newell steps in to lead the show this time for Harry’s fourth adventure, with stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, David Tennant, Robert Pattinson, Katie Leung, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon and Brendan Gleeson. The film was met well by audiences and critics alike and sits at an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.

This year, Professor Dumbledore proudly announces that Hogwarts will be hosting the Tri-Wizard Tournament, a competition between representatives of three wizarding schools in various magical tasks. However when Harry, to his bewilderment, is somehow chosen as the fourth competitor, all know that something untoward is going on. While the students of the three schools clumsily interact through the dramas of teenage life, the new professor Alastor Moody coaches Harry through the competition. However, the final task then transports Harry to somewhere unexpected, and then leads him to battle a powerful old foe.

5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

David Yates comes on board to direct Harry’s fifth adventure in the Wizarding World. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes, Gary Oldman, Michael Gambon, Imelda Staunton, Evanna Lynch, Alan Rickman and Helena Bonham Carter. The film was again critically well received, currently holding a 78% on Rotten Tomatoes.

In the fifth film Harry learns that, despite his witnessing Voldemort’s return, the Ministry of Magic is downplaying his claims. So the secret Order of the Phoenix, populated by several trusted adults in Harry’s life, convenes to respond. Meanwhile, the Ministry appoints Dolores Umbridge to Hogwarts, who quickly takes control of the school and suppresses Harry and Dumbledore. So, in response, the students form Dumbledore’s Army, led by Harry, to prepare against Voldemort. But then, a dark vision in Harry’s mind leads him to bring the Army and the Order to the Department of Mysteries, where both teams face the enemies they find there.

6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

David Yates returns for the sixth entry in a film starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Jim Broadbent, Bonnie Wright, Alan Rickman, Jessie Cave and Tom Felton. The film was very well received and sits at an 84% on Rotten Tomatoes. Notably, this entry was also the most expensive in the franchise.

During Harry’s sixth year at Hogwarts, as Voldemort’s hold over the Wizarding World grows stronger, Harry becomes suspicious of his rival Malfoy as he appears to be aiming for some twisted goal. Later, Harry finds an old Potions textbook with scribbled notes from a mysterious “Half-Blood Prince” which helps him excel in class. During all this, though, Dumbledore also enlists Harry in convincing the new Potions professor, Slughorn, to reveal the contents of a disquieting conversation he once had with a young Voldemort. But then, unexpected enemies arrive before Harry and Dumbledore both, and this time there appears no way out alive.

7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010)

David Yates returns to direct the first part of a two-part finale. The movie stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes, Helena Bonham Carter and Toby Jones. The film was met well and holds a 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, that is the lowest score in the series.

When our heroes receive news that Voldemort has overtaken the Ministry, and when Death Eaters attack Ron’s brother’s wedding, Harry, Ron and Hermione barely escape. They then, having learned of the magical horcruxes which keep Voldemort powerful, set out on a mission to find and destroy them. During this, they also learn about the Deathly Hallows, powerful objects that make one the master of death, including the Elder Wand which Voldemort is desperately seeking. Throughout this journey the trio face and evade many threats, while Voldemort remains looming above them.

8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011)

And David Yates returns to direct as we close out the series. This final movie stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes, Alan Rickman, Helena Bonham Carter, Tom Felton and Matthew Lewis. The film also generally has the best reviews of the franchise, boasting an impressive 96% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Picking up immediately after the events of the prior film, the story here sees the trio continue their search for horcruxes, ultimately leading them back into a Hogwarts now largely controlled by Voldemort’s loyalists. However, as the trio successfully face more of the horcruxes in the castle, Voldemort’s army, as well as the villain himself, rush the grounds to thwart them. But then, Harry receives a memory from someone he thought was an enemy, one that reveals the truth behind many things. All these events then lead to a final confrontation for the fate of the Wizarding World.

The Fantastic Beasts Movies

The above eight films make up the official Harry Potter series. However, as fans know, Warner Brothers and J.K. Rowling then went on to release a few more films which, while they don’t have book equivalents in the same way, are intended to share a universe with the other eight movies.

These are known as the Fantastic Beasts films, set about seventy years before young Harry Potter arrived at Hogwarts. These newer movies center protagonist Newt Scamander, a magizoologist expert in all things involving magical creatures. The three entries in this film series, by order of both release and chronology, are below.

1. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
2. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
3. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)

However, if you’d like to watch all eight Harry Potter films and the three Fantastic Beasts films together in chronological order, we will need to take one small step away from the release timeline. That is, to watch all eleven films in order, you’d just need to begin with the three Fantastic Beasts movies, and then start the Harry Potter films from the top right after. This order, while deviating from the release timeline, accurately allows you to walk through the history of the Wizarding World.

New Harry Potter Movies

Are there any confirmed, upcoming Harry Potter films that will let us step back into this Wizarding World? Unfortunately, at present the answer to that is no. The Fantastic Beasts films were indeed at one point said to be aiming for a five film arc, but this appears to no longer be the plan.

For now, we’ll have to wait for news of new films in this franchise. However, there are some upcoming projects once we move away from the world of film.

Harry Potter Max TV Show

Warner Brothers has confirmed they are developing a Harry Potter TV series on Max, aiming for a 2026 premiere. The series is planned to release over a 10 year period, and Succession writer Francesca Gardiner is reportedly in the lead for handling the show’s creative direction. There is presently no confirmed casting, but we know J.K. Rowling will serve as executive producer.

With much more run time available, the series is promising to offer greater accuracy to the books and more details from them that the movies were not able to include. But we should also note that, because this is being described as a complete reboot retelling Harry Potter’s story from day one and bringing in a new cast, this series would not share a canon or universe with the films mentioned above. That means, while this show may be exciting for fans of the franchise, it would not belong in any chronological watch order with the currently released films.

Hogwarts Legacy Video Game

Then there is the video game Hogwarts Legacy, which takes place in the 1800s. The game released in 2023, became the best selling game of the year and has earned its place among the best selling games of all time. So, it has quickly become a must-experience project for fans of the Wizarding World.

However, despite its accuracy to the extant lore, the game also does not appear to officially share a canon with the books, movies, or the upcoming TV show. This would mean, as with the upcoming TV series, the game would not belong in any order with the currently existing films.

However, given the project’s immense success, a sequel is now rumored to be on the way, one that would likely share a canon with the first game.

Bottom Line

The eight Harry Potter films released across a decade as a whole generation grew up along with the young wizard. Many viewers began watching as children and delighted in seeing Harry grow older and wiser each year in the face of greater and greater challenges, an experience that should feel familiar to most. For that reason, and for the magical imagination so lovingly on display, the Harry Potter world has become a warm place of retreat for many. And so the films are waiting to be experienced, in the order above, whenever you wish to step back in.