Harry Potter Movies in Order: The Best Watch Order
Key takeaways
- For a first watch, see the eight Harry Potter movies in release order.
- The original series adapts seven books across eight films, with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows split into two parts.
- The three Fantastic Beasts movies are prequels, so include them before the Harry Potter films only if you want to watch the wider Wizarding World story chronologically.
- The prequels expand the Wizarding World, but they aren’t required to understand the main Harry Potter story.
Table of contents
- Harry Potter movies in release order
- Where do the Fantastic Beasts movies fit?
- Release order vs. chronological order
- Common questions about the Harry Potter movie order
- Are there seven or eight Harry Potter movies?
- Are Fantastic Beasts movies part of the Harry Potter series?
- Should I watch Fantastic Beasts before Harry Potter?
- Is the cast reunion part of the movie order?
- The simplest watch plan
Harry Potter movies in release order
For a first watch, see the eight Harry Potter movies in release order. That’s also the order of Harry’s story, from his first year at Hogwarts to the final battle. The three Fantastic Beasts movies are prequels, so include them before the Harry Potter films only if you want to watch the wider Wizarding World story chronologically.
The original series adapts seven books across eight films, with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows split into two parts. Here’s the complete order, with release years. (Britannica’s overview of the Harry Potter films; film list)
| # | Movie | Release year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the U.S.) | 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 |
For a straightforward first-time marathon, start with Philosopher’s Stone (or Sorcerer’s Stone), then watch down the list. The films follow the books’ general progression, introducing the characters and the wizarding world before building toward the series’ conclusion.
The U.S. title difference can cause confusion: Philosopher’s Stone and Sorcerer’s Stone are the same first movie, not separate entries.
Where do the Fantastic Beasts movies fit?
The three Fantastic Beasts films take place before Harry’s story. If you want a chronological marathon of the feature films, watch them first, in this order, and then continue with the eight Harry Potter movies above. (Fantastic Beasts film list; JustWatch’s viewing guide)
- 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 / 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)
This makes an 11-film list: eight adaptations centered on Harry and three Fantastic Beasts prequels. The prequels expand the Wizarding World, but they aren’t required to understand the main Harry Potter story.
Release order vs. chronological order
Release order is the simplest choice for newcomers: watch the eight Harry Potter films from 2001 to 2011. It preserves the order in which the main story was made and avoids starting with prequels released years later.
Chronological order is for viewers who want the broadest timeline across both film series. Put the three Fantastic Beasts films before Philosopher’s Stone / Sorcerer’s Stone, then watch the Harry Potter films in release order. Within each group, the entries listed above are already in order.
In other words, the choice is less about rearranging the Harry Potter films and more about whether to add the prequels at the beginning.
Common questions about the Harry Potter movie order
Are there seven or eight Harry Potter movies?
There are eight movies adapting the seven Harry Potter books. The final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was adapted as Part 1 and Part 2, so both belong at the end of the watch order.
Are Fantastic Beasts movies part of the Harry Potter series?
They’re part of the wider Wizarding World, but they’re separate prequel films rather than chapters in Harry’s eight-film story. Watch them first for franchise chronology; skip them if you only want the story of Harry Potter.
Should I watch Fantastic Beasts before Harry Potter?
You can, but you don’t need to. For a first watch focused on Harry, begin with Philosopher’s Stone / Sorcerer’s Stone. For a chronological marathon of the feature films, start with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Is the cast reunion part of the movie order?
No. A reunion special isn’t one of the scripted story films, so it doesn’t belong in the eight-film Harry Potter sequence or the 11-film list above.
The simplest watch plan
For Harry’s story, watch the eight films in release order, starting with Philosopher’s Stone or Sorcerer’s Stone. Add the three Fantastic Beasts movies before them only if you want a broader, chronological Wizarding World marathon.
