Before the “Harry Potter” films, there were J.K. Rowling’s books. The first book, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” was published in 1997. Nearly 27 years later, eleven films, one reunion special and a Universal experience dedicated to the magical Wizarding World have grown out of Rowling’s literary staple in childhood fiction.
Any time of year is time for a Harry Potter movie marathon. Although USA and Syfy come in real handy around the holidays when they put on their Harry Potter movie marathons, the films are also streaming online year-round (and, of course, available to own outright).
But with the “Harry Potter” movies and the “Fantastic Beasts” franchise taking place in the same universe yet decades apart, does watching all the Harry Potter films in chronological order make sense? We run down the viewing options (and where to stream them) below.
How to Watch the Harry Potter Movies in Chronological Order
Technically, Albus Dumbledore, Gellert Grindelwald and Newt Scamander came before Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort, but the “Fantastic Beasts” films weren’t created until after Rowling’s series was adapted in full. If you want to be strictly chronological, the first three “Fantastic Beasts” films — set in the 1920s — come first in the timeline.
- “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)
All the Harry Potter Movies in Release Order
The “Harry Potter” franchise kicked off in 2001 with the release of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” which was an immediate hit and began a decade of films starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Tom Felton and many more.
Warner Bros. rejuvenated the series in 2016 with the prequel adaptation “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” based on J.K. Rowling’s short book of the same name and following the misadventures of magizoologist Newt Scamander (played by Eddie Redmayne). That movie spurred three films so far, with screenplays by Rowling herself and a story that follows the rise of Gellert Grindelwald (first played by Johnny Depp, then recast with Mads Mikkelsen in 2022’s “The Secrets of Dumbledore.”)
Here’s how to watch all the Harry Potter films in release order.
- “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)
Is It Better to Watch the “Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts” Movies in Chronological or Release Order?
It depends on your familiarity with the material, although it’s worth noting that even though the “Fantastic Beasts” movies come first in the chronology, those films follow the stories of adults in the Wizarding World in contrast to following children (and later teenagers) in the “Harry Potter” films. Plus, the earlier “Harry Potter” films are more like kids movies if you’re looking to watch something with the entire family. On the whole, the series makes more sense to watch in release order, but if you know these movies like the back of your hand, watching chronologically is a fun exercise.
Where to Stream the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Movies
The following “Harry Potter” movies are currently streaming on Max and Fubo TV:
- “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”
- “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”
- “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban”
- “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire”
- “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix”
- “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince”
- “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1”
- “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2”
The following “Fantastic Beasts” movies are streaming on Max, Peacock and Fubo TV:
- “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
- “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”
- “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore”
The cast members and crew members involved in the eight “Harry Potter” installments reunited at the end of 2021 for a reunion special that you can stream exclusively on Max.
