How Many Harry Potter Movies Are There? All 8 Films in Order
Key takeaways
- There are eight Harry Potter movies in the main film series.
- The final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was split into two films.
- The three Fantastic Beasts spin-offs bring the total to 11 Wizarding World films.
- For a first-time viewer, watching the Harry Potter films in release order is the simplest approach.
Table of contents
- How Many Harry Potter Movies Are There? All 8 Films in Order
- Key takeaways
- The 8 Harry Potter Movies in Release Order
- Are Philosopher’s Stone and Sorcerer’s Stone Different Movies?
- Why Are There 8 Movies but Only 7 Books?
- Do the Fantastic Beasts Movies Count?
- What Order Should You Watch the Whole Film Collection In?
- Is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child a Ninth Movie?
- The Bottom Line
There are eight Harry Potter movies in the main film series, released between 2001 and 2011. They adapt J.K. Rowling’s seven Harry Potter novels, with the final book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, split into two films.
If you also include the three Fantastic Beasts spin-offs, the total is 11 Wizarding World films. But the direct answer to “how many Harry Potter movies are there?” is eight: the official Harry Potter website identifies the main series as an eight-film collection and treats Fantastic Beasts separately.
The 8 Harry Potter Movies in Release Order
The main films follow Harry’s story in sequence, so release order is also the story’s chronological order. For a first-time viewer, this is the simplest way to watch.
| Order | Movie | Original theatrical release year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone — titled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone in the US | 2001 |
| 2 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets | 2002 |
| 3 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | 2004 |
| 4 | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire | 2005 |
| 5 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix | 2007 |
| 6 | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | 2009 |
| 7 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 | 2010 |
| 8 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 | 2011 |
J.K. Rowling’s official FAQ lists the eight film adaptations. The years above refer to their original theatrical releases, not anniversary screenings or later streaming debuts.
Are Philosopher’s Stone and Sorcerer’s Stone Different Movies?
No. They’re two regional titles for the same first film, not separate entries.
If you see Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone on a US listing and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone elsewhere, both occupy the same place in the watch order. You don’t need to watch both to complete the series.
Why Are There 8 Movies but Only 7 Books?
The difference comes entirely from Deathly Hallows. The first six novels each became one film, while the seventh became two:
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 adapts the first portion of the final novel.
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 continues that adaptation and concludes the main film series.
That means the count is six films plus a two-part finale, for a total of eight. It doesn’t mean there’s an eighth novel in the original book series.
The two Deathly Hallows movies should be watched consecutively. Part 2 isn’t a separate sequel with a new source novel; it completes the story begun in Part 1.
Do the Fantastic Beasts Movies Count?
The Fantastic Beasts films belong to the same fictional universe, but they are a separate prequel and spin-off series, rather than Harry Potter movies nine, ten, and eleven.
The three films are:
| Order | Movie | Original theatrical release year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | 2016 |
| 2 | Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald | 2018 |
| 3 | Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore | 2022 |
The official Harry Potter viewing guide covers both film collections, while distinguishing the eight-film Harry Potter series from Fantastic Beasts.
The clearest way to describe the totals is:
- Harry Potter main series: 8 movies.
- Fantastic Beasts series: 3 movies.
- Both series combined: 11 Wizarding World movies.
Fantastic Beasts takes place before Harry’s story and follows a different central cast of characters. Its connections to the wider wizarding world make it useful additional viewing, but you don’t need it to understand the eight main Harry Potter films.
What Order Should You Watch the Whole Film Collection In?
For newcomers, watch the eight Harry Potter films first, followed by the three Fantastic Beasts films. This follows the release order of the two series and lets the original films introduce the magical world before you explore its earlier history.
If you prefer broad chronological order, reverse the groups:
- Watch the three Fantastic Beasts films in their release order.
- Watch the eight Harry Potter films in their release order.
Either approach keeps each series’ internal sequence intact. The main choice is whether you want to discover the world through Harry’s story or start with events set earlier.
For a straightforward Harry Potter marathon, stick to the eight films in the first table. The spin-offs are optional, not prerequisites.
Is Harry Potter and the Cursed Child a Ninth Movie?
No. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a stage play, not an entry in the eight-film Harry Potter series. Its published script also shouldn’t be confused with one of the seven original novels.
Likewise, documentaries, reunion specials, television adaptations, and theatrical rereleases don’t add to the main-series movie count. The number depends on which feature-film series you’re counting, not every screen production connected to Harry Potter.
The Bottom Line
There are eight Harry Potter movies, or 11 Wizarding World films when you include the three Fantastic Beasts spin-offs. To watch Harry’s complete film story, start with Philosopher’s Stone—or Sorcerer’s Stone in the US—and follow release order through Deathly Hallows – Part 2.
