Watch the Harry Potter movies in release order: Sorcerer's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, Deathly Hallows Part 1, and Deathly Hallows Part 2. Release order is also the story order.
Each Harry Potter movie covers one year at Hogwarts, and they came out in the same order as the story. So you can't go wrong starting at the beginning. Here's the full order, where the Fantastic Beasts prequels fit, and what's coming from HBO.
The Harry Potter movies in order
Harry learns he's a wizard and starts his first year at Hogwarts, with Ron and Hermione as his new best friends. Chris Columbus directed it, and it's called Philosopher's Stone in the UK. It's based on J.K. Rowling's first novel.
In Harry's second year, someone opens the Chamber of Secrets, and students start turning up petrified. Chris Columbus directed this one too, from the second novel.
An escaped prisoner named Sirius Black seems to be after Harry in his third year. Alfonso Cuarón took over as director. The look of the series gets darker from here.
In his fourth year, Harry is picked to compete in the dangerous Triwizard Tournament. Mike Newell directed it. It's the first of the films from the longer, darker middle books.
Harry's fifth year, and the Ministry of Magic refuses to believe Voldemort is back. David Yates directed it, and he stayed through the final film.
In his sixth year, Harry finds an old textbook full of notes and works with Dumbledore to uncover a memory that could help defeat Voldemort.
Dumbledore leaves Harry, Ron, and Hermione the job of finding and destroying the Horcruxes that keep Voldemort alive. It's the first of two films from the last book.
Harry keeps hunting the last Horcruxes so he can defeat Voldemort once and for all. It's the eighth and final film, and it wraps up the whole story.
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Where Fantastic Beasts fits
In 1926, a British wizard named Newt Scamander arrives in New York with a suitcase full of magical creatures, and one of them escapes. Eddie Redmayne plays Newt, and J.K. Rowling wrote the script.
In 1927, Newt and Albus Dumbledore try to stop the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. Jude Law plays Dumbledore. It sets up the history behind the Harry Potter story.
Five years later, Dumbledore sends Newt and his friends on a mission into the heart of Grindelwald's army. Mads Mikkelsen plays Grindelwald. It's the third and final Fantastic Beasts film.
The new HBO Harry Potter series
Harry Potter TV series
HBO is adapting the books again as a TV series. Season one covers the first book in eight episodes and premieres on December 25, 2026, on HBO and HBO Max. Dominic McLaughlin plays Harry, with Arabella Stanton as Hermione, Alastair Stout as Ron, and John Lithgow as Dumbledore. HBO has renewed it for a second season, based on Chamber of Secrets.
If you want more magic
Four siblings sent to the countryside during World War II find a wardrobe that leads to the magical land of Narnia. It's based on C.S. Lewis's novel, and it's a good next step for kids who loved the early Harry Potter films.
His Dark Materials TV series
This TV series follows Lyra, an orphan in a world full of magic and danger, as she searches for a missing friend. It's based on Philip Pullman's trilogy, and all three seasons are out.
A young hobbit named Frodo sets out to destroy the One Ring before the Dark Lord Sauron can use it to return to power. Peter Jackson directed it from J.R.R. Tolkien's book. It's the first of three films.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians TV series
This Disney+ series is based on Rick Riordan's books, starting with The Lightning Thief. Riordan co-created it. Walker Scobell plays Percy. It's the closest match for the feel of Harry's first year.
Where to start
If you're new to the story, start with Sorcerer's Stone and keep going in order. If you've seen them all, the Fantastic Beasts films add the history, and the HBO series starts the story over on December 25.
Limelight keeps your Watchlist in sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and it shows where each movie is streaming in your country. It also shows which movies started as books, and every Harry Potter movie did. With Limelight+, you'll get an alert when the HBO series drops a new episode.
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Limelight shows where each movie and show is streaming in your country, shows which of them started as books, and keeps your Watchlist in sync. Free to download on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
Frequently asked questions
Watch the eight movies in release order: Sorcerer's Stone, Chamber of Secrets, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, and Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2. Release order is also the story order.
There are eight Harry Potter movies. The last book was split into two films, Deathly Hallows Part 1 and Part 2. There are also three Fantastic Beasts prequels.
No. The Fantastic Beasts movies are prequels set in the 1920s and 1930s, decades before Harry is born. You can watch them after the eight Harry Potter movies if you want more of the history.
The HBO Harry Potter series premieres on December 25, 2026, on HBO and HBO Max. The first season adapts the first book in eight episodes, and HBO has renewed it for a second season, based on Chamber of Secrets.
Yes. All eight movies are based on J.K. Rowling's seven Harry Potter novels. Rowling also wrote the Fantastic Beasts scripts.
Each title links to where it's streaming. Availability changes by country and by month, and Limelight shows what's streaming in your country right now.
