Summary

• The Harry Potter movies were released in a straightforward order, with a new film almost every year, mirroring the release of the books.
• The movies become darker as the series progresses, with changes in director creating a clear difference in tone.
• While the chronological order of the movies aligns with the release order, there is debate over whether they take place in the same years as the books or if they occur later in time.

The Wizarding World franchise continues to grow, with a prequel series, an upcoming reboot TV series, and multiple video games, but the original Harry Potter movies remain the most iconic. The original franchise consists of eight films, with each film taking place over the course of a single school year at Hogwarts, following Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends as they grow up - and fight an increasingly vital battle against Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes).

The Harry Potter movies kicked off in 2001 with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, and while the first film in the series is generally a light and family-friendly story, as the series continues, the movies become darker, with changes in director creating a clear difference in tone. While there are flashbacks in the movies, especially the later ones, the bulk of the storyline is extremely straightforward, and the viewing order and chronological order match.

Harry Potter Movies In Release Order

The Harry Potter movies' release order is straightforward, with a new film released almost every year, with some two years apart. This makes sense, with child actors as the stars, taking longer than a year or two between each film would have caused issues in terms of on-screen aging. The order of the films also matches that of the books, including the title change of the first from the original British to the American book title - from Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in the US.

• 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)

Harry Potter Movies In Chronological Order

While the Harry Potter movies share the same basic chronological order as release order, the timeline within the films themselves do include some flashbacks. There is also some debate over whether the movies are intended to be set in the same years as the books (included below), or if they take place later in time. There is no clear answer to this, because while the Harry Potter lore still has him born in the 80s, which lines up with the dates of his parents' death when their tombstone is shown in Godric's Hollow, many other elements of the films do not fit this time period. The fashion, for one, is clearly appropriate for the time in which the movies were made, rather than a decade earlier. In addition, a primary school certificate for Dudley, seen on set, is dated 2001. This would mean that the films actually take place from 2001 - 2008!

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (1991 - 1992)

The first film takes place primarily in 1991, when Harry Potter turns eleven, and discovers that he is a wizard, as were his parents. The film follows him as he discovers the wizarding world (and his place in it), and his first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In a pattern that will be followed for most of the rest of the series, Harry's school year ends with foiling a plot by Voldemort to gain the Philosopher's Stone and use it to return. However, there is one scene in this movie that takes place earlier in the timeline - the opening, which is set when Harry is still an infant, on the night that Voldemort was 'killed', along with his parents.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1992 - 1993)

The second film begins toward the end of Harry's summer holidays - as with the books, the summer holidays themselves are not covered in detail, as the focus is on the school year. It introduces Dobby the House Elf, and his attempts to prevent Harry from returning to Hogwarts, as well as Ginny Weasley, who appears briefly in the first film, but starts school in the second. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets also weaves back and forth between past and present, as Harry and his friends learn about Tom Riddle and his time at the school, with flashback scenes showing Hagrid's expulsion and Voldemort as a student.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1993 - 1994)

The third film in the series is the most complicated in terms of timeline, as it features the Time Turner, and two distinct timelines - the original timeline, and then a second, when Harry and Hermione use the magical device to go back and start their night again. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban also introduces one of the most important people in Harry's life: Sirius Black. This third film is also notable because the film doesn't end with a direct attempt of Voldemort's, but with the reveal of Scabbers' true identity.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (1994 - 1995)

The fourth film in the series shows more of the summer holidays than most, starting with the Quidditch World Cup and Harry spending some of the summer with the Weasleys. The rest of the film also shifts focus from the usual school year, to a school year changed by the introduction of the Triwizard Tournament - in which Harry becomes an unwilling contestant. Once again, flashbacks of an earlier time are used to provide context to the big reveal at the end, when Mad-Eye Moody is revealed to be Barty Crouch in disguise, but these are a minor part of the film, which otherwise has a very clear and simple timeline.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (1995 - 1996)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix continues with Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts - however, it is a year that almost doesn't happen! The film starts in the summer, where Harry uses a Patronus spell, and is consequently expelled from Hogwarts. Of course, the expulsion is revoked, but it sets the scene for a shift in mood against Harry and Dumbledore, and allows for the introduction of the Ministry of Magic as a location. As usual, Harry and Voldemort battle their way to the end of the school year, and Harry starts to learn of their connection.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (1996 - 1997)

While not the final film in the series, this is the final film that is centered on a school year at Hogwarts, and includes multiple flashbacks, as Dumbledore finally tells Harry most of what he knows about Voldemort and the Horcruxes. The flashbacks are also told as memories, as Harry and Dumbledore use the Pensieve to revisit many of Dumbledore's interactions with Voldemort over the years, as well as Professor Slughorn's key memory of a conversation with Tom Riddle.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (1997 - 1998)

The final two films take place over the same time span as each of the previous films, as Harry, Ron, and Hermione leave Hogwarts and prepare for their final showdown against Voldemort. The timing of the final two movies doesn't feel as straightforward as many of the others, either, because it doesn't have the usual school year to follow - although Christmas is still marked by the Golden Trio in their own way. The first Deathly Hallows movie kicks off in August 1997 with the marriage of Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour and runs through to March 1998. There are also some flashbacks to the history of the Elder Wand, as well as the story of the Three Brothers, although that is told as a story within the movie, rather than a flashback itself.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (1998 & 2017)

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is the end of all things, as the golden trio return to Hogwarts for a last stand against Voldemort. The movie kicks off in March 1998, immediately following the first movie's tragic end, and moves through to May 1998, when the Gringotts heist and the Battle of Hogwarts happen in close succession back to back. The epilogue jumps forward 30 years to September 1, 2017 as a new generation heads to Hogwarts.

How The HBO Max Harry Potter Series Will Fit Into The Movie Order

It was announced in April 2023 that WB and HBO Max (under their new name Max) would be bringing the Wizarding World to the small screen in a Harry Potter TV series. However, viewers hoping for more tales in the live-action Wizarding World they knew may be disappointed. The new Harry Potter TV series won't be a continuation of the world created by the movies, but a total reboot. There's little news on what that will entail, but since it's known that the Harry Potter show will retell the story of the original books for a new generation it's 100% confirmed that it won't fit into the watch order for the Harry Potter movies.

RELATED: Cast, Story & Everything We Know About HBO's Harry Potter Show

The big question many have is how the Harry Potter series will impact the Fantastic Beasts movies. After The Secrets of Dumbledore failed to meet studio expectations there was plenty of speculation about where WB would take the Harry Potter property next, with some even speculating that WB. would kill the Harry Potter Wizarding World franchise entirely. Fortunately, the worst of the doom saying turned out incorrect, as the studio has big plans for the Wizarding World. What's not clear is how it will impact the Harry Potter prequels — it might well be that the Harry Potter reboot makes The Secrets of Dumbledore the final movie in the Fantastic Beasts order.

Where To Watch The Harry Potter Movies

All the Harry Potter movies are now available to stream on HBO Max - which will likely be the long-term streaming home for the films, given that HBO Max will be creating the new Harry Potter series.

Watch On HBO Max

However, if for some reason Warner Bros. removes one of its biggest franchises from Max, there are always on-demand options for the movies with each of the Harry Potter movies available to rent on Apple TV for $3.99 or to buy for $14.99.