How To Watch Harry Potter Movies in Order

Watching all eight Harry Potter movies in one go is an experience worth trying. The magical world of Hogwarts is better experienced once you’ve spent enough time soaking into the world-building. Potter heads understand this, and that’s why there’s such a thing as a ‘Harry Potter movie marathon.’ But if you’re new to this world filled with spells and magical creatures, you need to know how to watch Harry Potter movies in order. 

This article is all about how you can watch these movies and in what order for the most fun experience. So without further ado, let’s continue! 

The Harry Potter Movie Series

Harry Potter is the ‘boy that lived’ and he’s been living in our hearts since the first book came out in 1998. Ever since, the Harry Potter book series have refined the fantasy story-telling around the world. The magical school where you learn witchcraft and wizardry lit a spark of longing in fans’ hearts and most of them are still waiting for their Hogwarts letter of acceptance. 

It came as no surprise that the best-selling books were later converted into big-screen films. Now the Wizarding world gathered more fan following, including those that aren’t readers of the book series. The movies came out in succession of eight parts becoming a cultural phenomenon, with each one having a mammoth impact on generations of moviegoers. 

How Many Harry Potter Movies Are There

If you consider Harry Potter movies with just Harry Potter’s story and his fight against the famed villain, Lord Voldemort, then there are eight movies in total. However, there are only seven books in the Harry Potter book series. 

Each movie is based on its corresponding book, however the last book in the series, ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ was adapted into two movies, ‘the Deathly Hallows I’ and ‘the Deathly Hallows II.’ 

Five years after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II was released, a prequel franchise came into existence – The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. So far, there are three Fantastic Beasts movies. 

While originally, the movie revolved around Harry Potter and his quests in Hogwarts, the Fantastic Beasts series focuses on Newt Scamander and how he plays a key role in Dumbledore’s fight against Grindelwald. 

So, in total, as of May, 2024, there are eleven films from the Wizarding Universe. There are remaining two parts of the Fantastic Beasts series yet to be released, making this prequel franchise a total of five movies. 

Moreover, there’s also a TV series for Harry Potter in production where they have aimed to focus on one book in one season. This will give the fans to see on screen the things that they missed in the movies. 

Undoubtedly, the books were the better of the two (books vs films), mainly because there was only so much they could enact on the screen from the vast repository of magical scenes in the book. However, there’s a chance of redemption for the makers with the Harry Potter TV series version. Fingers crossed! 

List of Harry Potter Movies To Watch in Order [Release Date Basis]

If you’ve been looking for a list that could simplify the order of the Harry Potter movies, you’ve come to the right place: 

• Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’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 1 (2010)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
• Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
• Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)

List of Harry Potter Movies To Watch in Order [Chronology-Based]

If you’re someone that wants the best experience diving into the magical world of Hogwarts, then watching the films based on their chronology is the best way to do so. Here’s a lowdown of Harry Potter films based on their chronology: 

• 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 Sorcerer’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 1 (2010)
• Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011)

The Bottom Line

If you’re a fan of middle-grade and young adult fantasy, then Harry Potter is the movie for you. However, watching the movies in the wrong sequence can give away major spoilers and ruin the experience as a whole. That’s why it’s crucial that you watch all the movies in a preferred order to get the most of the story and maximize the fun watching experience.