Here’s how to watch the Harry Potter films in order so the story flows properly from start to finish.

Core movie watch order

Watch the eight main Harry Potter movies in this sequence (this is both the release order and the story order).

  1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (also titled Philosopher’s Stone in some regions)
  1. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
  1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  1. Harry Potter and the Half‑Blood Prince
  1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1
  1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

This order lets you grow with the characters year by year at Hogwarts and follow the plot without confusion.

If you also want Fantastic Beasts

If you plan to explore the wider Wizarding World, you can watch the prequel Fantastic Beasts films after you finish the main series or slot them in by timeline.

  • Release‑order “extended marathon” (after the 8 movies):
    9. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (1920s prequel)

10. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

11. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Many fans still recommend finishing Harry’s story first, then treating Fantastic Beasts as bonus lore.

Chronological vs release order

For most new viewers, release order is the best answer to how to watch Harry Potter in order , because the films were written and designed to be seen that way.

  • Release order (the list above) = natural difficulty curve, character growth, and increasing darkness.
  • Full chronological order (including prequels) would start with Fantastic Beasts in the 1920s, then jump forward to Harry’s school years, but this can spoil some reveals and tone shifts.

Most guides and fan discussions in the last few years still push release order as the “correct” first watch, especially for younger or first‑time viewers.

Mini viewing tips

A few small choices can make your marathon feel more magical and less tiring.

  • Treat each movie as a “school year” and stop after one or two per night so the time jumps feel natural.
  • If watching with kids, the tone gets notably darker from Goblet of Fire onward, so consider age and sensitivity.
  • Subtitles help catch spell names, place names, and quiet dialogue, which often set up later plot twists.

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Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.