Start the Wizarding World with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) and watch the eight Harry Potter films in order. The three Fantastic Beasts films are set decades earlier and come first chronologically, but their payoffs (Dumbledore, Grindelwald, the Lestranges) lean on Harry Potter, so they work best after.
- Titles
- 11
- Films
- 11
- Watch time
- 26 hours
- Box office
- $9.63 billion
- Avg IMDb
- 7.4
Harry Potter movies in release order
Here is every Harry Potter (Fantastic Beasts) title in the order it came out, 2001 to 2022: 11 films. Optional entries are marked; you can skip them on a first watch.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | 2001 | Film | 2h 32m | 7.7 |
| 2 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | 2002 | Film | 2h 41m | 7.5 |
| 3 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | 2004 | Film | 2h 21m | 7.9 |
| 4 | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | 2005 | Film | 2h 37m | 7.7 |
| 5 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | 2007 | Film | 2h 18m | 7.5 |
| 6 | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | 2009 | Film | 2h 33m | 7.6 |
| 7 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 | 2010 | Film | 2h 26m | 7.7 |
| 8 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 | 2011 | Film | 2h 10m | 8.1 |
| 9 | Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them optional | 2016 | Film | 2h 13m | 7.2 |
| 10 | Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald optional | 2018 | Film | 2h 14m | 6.5 |
| 11 | Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore optional | 2022 | Film | 2h 22m | 6.2 |
Harry Potter timeline: movies in chronological order
The same titles in story order, by when they take place, with the year or era each one is set in.
| # | Title | Set in | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | 1926 | 2016 |
| 2 | Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald | 1927 | 2018 |
| 3 | Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore | 1932 | 2022 |
| 4 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone | 1991 | 2001 |
| 5 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | 1992 | 2002 |
| 6 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | 1993 | 2004 |
| 7 | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | 1994 | 2005 |
| 8 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | 1995 | 2007 |
| 9 | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | 1996 | 2009 |
| 10 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 | 1997 | 2010 |
| 11 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 | 1998 | 2011 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
Release order and story order disagree on 11 titles here. In release order you start with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001); in story order you start with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, set in 1926, which came out 15 years later.
First time through, watch in release order. That is how the twists, returning characters and callbacks were built to land, and later entries assume you have seen the earlier ones. On a rewatch, try story order. It turns the Wizarding World into one continuous story and makes the prequels play as setup instead of backstory.
Where to start
Start with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and go in release order, skipping the 3 optional titles on the first pass.
The essentials are 8 titles and about 20 hours, 26% less than the full run.
The three highest rated: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (8.1), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (7.9), and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (7.7).
Every Harry Potter movie, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 2001 · Film · 2h 32m · 4th in story order
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Harry Potter has lived under the stairs at his aunt and uncle's house his whole life. But on his 11th birthday, he learns he's a powerful wizard—with a place waiting for him at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As he learns to harness his newfound powers with the help of the school's kindly headmaster, Harry uncovers the truth about his parents' deaths—and about the villain who's to blame.
Why it matters: Harry arrives at Hogwarts: the place to start.
- Starring
- Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson
- Director
- Chris Columbus
- Box office
- $1.03 billion on a $125 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 80%
No. 02 · 2002 · Film · 2h 41m · 5th in story order
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Cars fly, trees fight back, and a mysterious house-elf comes to warn Harry Potter at the start of his second year at Hogwarts. Adventure and danger await when bloody writing on a wall announces: The Chamber Of Secrets Has Been Opened. To save Hogwarts will require all of Harry, Ron and Hermione's magical abilities and courage.
Why it matters: Year two, and an early clue to Voldemort's Horcruxes.
- Starring
- Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson
- Director
- Chris Columbus
- Box office
- $877 million on a $100 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 82%
No. 03 · 2004 · Film · 2h 21m · 6th in story order
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Harry Potter's life is in danger once more as dangerous wizard Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban Prison and is heading to Hogwarts.
Why it matters: Year three introduces Sirius Black and Lupin.
- Starring
- Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson
- Director
- Alfonso Cuarón
- Box office
- $790 million on a $130 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.9 · Rotten Tomatoes 90%
No. 04 · 2005 · Film · 2h 37m · 7th in story order
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
When his name emerges from the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter becomes a competitor in a grueling battle for glory among three wizarding schools. Signs of Voldemort's return emerge as Harry's friends help him prepare for the Triwizard Tournament.
Why it matters: The Triwizard Tournament ends with Voldemort's return.
- Starring
- Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson
- Director
- Mike Newell
- Box office
- $896 million on a $150 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 88%
No. 05 · 2007 · Film · 2h 18m · 8th in story order
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
When a new professor's methods leave Hogwarts unprepared to fight the rising tide of evil, Harry teaches students how to defend against the dark arts.
Why it matters: Dumbledore's Army and the fight at the Ministry.
- Starring
- Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson
- Director
- David Yates
- Box office
- $938 million on a $150 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 78%
No. 06 · 2009 · Film · 2h 33m · 9th in story order
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Dumbledore tries to prepare Harry for the final battle with Voldemort while Death Eaters wreak havoc in both Muggle and Wizard worlds.
Why it matters: Snape's secret and the Horcrux hunt begins.
- Starring
- Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson
- Director
- David Yates
- Box office
- $934 million on a $250 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 83%
No. 07 · 2010 · Film · 2h 26m · 10th in story order
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Harry, Ron and Hermione walk away from their last year at Hogwarts to find and destroy the remaining Horcruxes, putting an end to Voldemort's bid for immortality. But with Harry's beloved Dumbledore dead and Voldemort's unscrupulous Death Eaters on the loose, the world is more dangerous than ever.
Why it matters: Harry, Ron and Hermione on the run.
- Starring
- Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint
- Director
- David Yates
- Box office
- $954 million on a $250 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 77%
No. 08 · 2011 · Film · 2h 10m · 11th in story order
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Harry, Ron and Hermione continue their quest to vanquish the evil Voldemort once and for all. Just as things begin to look hopeless for the young wizards, Harry discovers a trio of magical objects that endow him with powers to rival Voldemort's formidable skills.
Why it matters: The Battle of Hogwarts ends the saga.
- Starring
- Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint
- Director
- David Yates
- Box office
- $1.34 billion on a $125 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 8.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 96%
No. 09 · 2016 · Film · 2h 13m · 1st in story order · optional
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
In 1926, Newt Scamander arrives at the Magical Congress of the United States of America with a magically expanded briefcase, which houses a number of dangerous creatures and their habitats. When the creatures escape from the briefcase, it sends the American wizarding authorities after Newt, and threatens to strain even further the state of magical and non-magical relations.
Why it matters: Newt Scamander in 1920s New York; a prequel best watched after the Harry Potter films.
- Starring
- Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, and Dan Fogler
- Director
- David Yates
- Box office
- $809 million on a $180 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 74%
No. 10 · 2018 · Film · 2h 14m · 2nd in story order · optional
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
Gellert Grindelwald has escaped imprisonment and has begun gathering followers to his cause—elevating wizards above all non-magical beings. The only one capable of putting a stop to him is the wizard he once called his closest friend, Albus Dumbledore. However, Dumbledore will need to seek help from the wizard who had thwarted Grindelwald once before, his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.
Why it matters: Grindelwald's rise and a young Dumbledore.
- Starring
- Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, and Dan Fogler
- Director
- David Yates
- Box office
- $655 million on a $200 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 36%
No. 11 · 2022 · Film · 2h 22m · 3rd in story order · optional
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Professor Albus Dumbledore knows the powerful, dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald is moving to seize control of the wizarding world. Unable to stop him alone, he entrusts magizoologist Newt Scamander to lead an intrepid team of wizards and witches. They soon encounter an array of old and new beasts as they clash with Grindelwald's growing legion of followers.
Why it matters: The last Fantastic Beasts film so far.
- Starring
- Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, and Mads Mikkelsen
- Director
- David Yates
- Box office
- $407 million on a $200 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 46%
Harry Potter box office and budgets
The 11 Harry Potter films with reported numbers have grossed $9.63 billion worldwide on about $1.86 billion in combined budgets, roughly 5.2 times what they cost. The biggest is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 at $1.34 billion, 14% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone ($1.03 billion) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 ($954 million).
Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, which made 11 times its $125 million budget. The weakest was Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore at 2.0 times its $200 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.
The best and worst rated Harry Potter movies
Across 11 rated titles, the Wizarding World averages 7.4 on IMDb. The top of the list is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 at 8.1, then Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (7.9) and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (7.7). At the bottom: Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (6.2) and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (6.5).
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 28.1 · RT 96%
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban7.9 · RT 90%
- Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone7.7 · RT 80%
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire7.7 · RT 88%
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 17.7 · RT 77%
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince7.6 · RT 83%
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets7.5 · RT 82%
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix7.5 · RT 78%
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them7.2 · RT 74%
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald6.5 · RT 36%
Who appears in the most Harry Potter movies
Daniel Radcliffe leads with 8 appearances as Harry Potter, ahead of Rupert Grint (8) and Emma Watson (8). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Radcliffe | Harry Potter | 8 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) |
| Rupert Grint | Ron Weasley | 8 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) |
| Emma Watson | Hermione Granger | 8 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) |
| Alan Rickman | Severus Snape | 8 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) |
| Robbie Coltrane | Hagrid / Rubeus Hagrid | 6 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) |
| Michael Gambon | Albus Dumbledore | 5 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) |
| Tom Felton | Draco Malfoy | 4 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) to Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) |
| Ralph Fiennes | Lord Voldemort | 4 | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) |
| Richard Griffiths | Uncle Vernon Dursley / Vernon Dursley | 3 | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) |
| Helena Bonham Carter | Bellatrix Lestrange | 3 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) |
| Evanna Lynch | Luna Lovegood | 3 | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) |
| Eddie Redmayne | Newt / Newt Scamander | 3 | Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) to Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) |
Harry Potter directors and creators
4 filmmakers have directed or created the Wizarding World; David Yates has the most, with 7.
- David YatesHarry 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), and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)
- Chris ColumbusHarry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
- Alfonso CuarónHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
- Mike NewellHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
How long it takes to watch every Harry Potter movie
All 11 titles add up to 26 hours. That is about 14 two-hour evenings, or 3 days of ten-hour binges. The essentials cut it to 20 hours. The longest film is Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets at 2h 41m.
The 4 best rated films: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Everything takes about 4 weeks; the essentials about 3 weeks.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Which Harry Potter movies can you skip?
3 titles can go without losing the main story. They are side stories, spin-offs or entries the later films ignore. Dropping them saves 7 hours.
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them2016 · Film · 2h 13m · optionalNewt Scamander in 1920s New York; a prequel best watched after the Harry Potter films.
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald2018 · Film · 2h 14m · optionalGrindelwald's rise and a young Dumbledore.
- Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore2022 · Film · 2h 22m · optionalThe last Fantastic Beasts film so far.
Common questions
What order should I watch the Harry Potter movies in?
Start the Wizarding World with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) and watch the eight Harry Potter films in order. The three Fantastic Beasts films are set decades earlier and come first chronologically, but their payoffs (Dumbledore, Grindelwald, the Lestranges) lean on Harry Potter, so they work best after.
How many Harry Potter movies and shows are there?
There are 11 titles in the Wizarding World franchise: 11 films and 0 series, released from 2001 to 2022.
How long does it take to watch all the Harry Potter movies?
About 26 hours for all 11 titles, counting every episode. The essentials only (8 titles) take about 20 hours.
What is the first Harry Potter title in chronological order?
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, set in 1926. In release order the first is Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001).
Which Harry Potter titles can I skip?
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. They are spin-offs, side stories or non-canon entries; the main story holds without them.
What is the best Harry Potter movie?
By IMDb score, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) at 8.1, followed by Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban at 7.9.
What is the highest-grossing Harry Potter movie?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011), with $1.34 billion worldwide. The Wizarding World films have made $9.63 billion in total.
Who has appeared in the most Harry Potter movies?
Daniel Radcliffe, in 8 of them as Harry Potter.
What is the longest Harry Potter movie?
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, at 2h 41m.
Keep reading
Skip guideWhich Harry Potter movies can you skip?3 titles you can skip- Catch-up guideWhat to watch before the HBO Harry Potter seriesOut December 25, 2026
- RecapHarry Potter recap: the story so far11 titles recapped
Skip guideWhat can you skip in Game of Thrones?2 titles you can skip
RecapChainsaw Man recap: the story so far2 titles recapped
Watch order guideHow to watch the One Piece movies in order8 titles · 498 hours