Harry Potter is one of the simplest major franchises to begin: the eight Harry-led films tell one developing story in release order. The decision becomes more interesting when you add Fantastic Beasts, which explores an earlier generation of the wizarding world.
Choose what to watch
Choose order
Release order
Release order
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone / 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
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
- Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
- Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
- HBO’s Harry Potter series — announced for 2027; not released yet — TV series
Story order
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
- The Crimes of Grindelwald
- The Secrets of Dumbledore
- Philosopher’s Stone / Sorcerer’s Stone
- Chamber of Secrets
- Prisoner of Azkaban
- Goblet of Fire
- Order of the Phoenix
- Half-Blood Prince
- Deathly Hallows — Part 1
- Deathly Hallows — Part 2
Story order: HBO TV adaptation (separate continuity)
The announced HBO series adapts the books independently of the films. It has not premiered yet, so there is no watchable episode order.
Fantastic Beasts takes place decades before Harry starts at Hogwarts. Within each group, the story and release sequences match. The main Harry Potter films follow his school years and the conflict that eventually pulls him beyond the classroom.
- HBO’s Harry Potter series — announced for 2027; not released yet — TV series
No entries match this selection.
Do you need to watch Fantastic Beasts first?
No. Harry’s introduction was designed to bring viewers into this world without prior knowledge. Fantastic Beasts adds history and familiar family connections, but its three released films do not provide a complete filmed account of every later event mentioned in Harry’s story.
Philosopher’s Stone and Sorcerer’s Stone are regional titles for the same first film. You do not need to watch both. The Cursed Child is a stage production, so it is not an extra movie in this list. A separate television adaptation should likewise be treated as a retelling, not an additional chapter between the existing films.
Peppermoon’s recommendation
Watch the eight Harry Potter films first, then the three Fantastic Beasts films. This lets the world open up through Harry’s perspective before you explore its earlier history. Choose full chronology for a rewatch when the major discoveries are already familiar.
Sources: Official Harry Potter film catalogue (https://www.harrypotter.com/discover/films); Official Fantastic Beasts page (https://www.harrypotter.com/discover/films/fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them).
Editorial note for Peppermoon: These are ten independent drafts, not published pages. Add your chosen article images before publishing. Recheck new releases when updating a guide, and retain the scope and continuity notes so readers know exactly what each list includes. Suggested slugs are proposals, not existing website links.