Harry Potter films in order: where to watch them in the UK
The eight Harry Potter films and three Fantastic Beasts prequels in order, where to watch them in the UK, and what to know about the new HBO series.
There are 11 films in the wizarding world: eight Harry Potter films released between 2001 and 2011, and three Fantastic Beasts prequels released between 2016 and 2022. If you are new, watch them in release order, starting with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Returning fans can begin with the prequels, which are set decades earlier. At the time of writing, all 11 stream in the UK on HBO Max and ITVX.
Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films in order at a glance
| # | Film | UK release | Where to watch in the UK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (PG) | 16 November 2001 | Streaming: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Now TV Cinema, ITVX Premium. Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video |
| 2 | Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (PG) | 15 November 2002 | Streaming: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Now TV Cinema, ITVX Premium. Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video |
| 3 | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (PG) | 31 May 2004 | Streaming: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Now TV Cinema, ITVX Premium. Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video |
| 4 | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (12A) | 18 November 2005 | Streaming: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Now TV Cinema, ITVX Premium. Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video |
| 5 | Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (12A) | 12 July 2007 | Streaming: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Now TV Cinema, ITVX Premium. Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video |
| 6 | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (12A) | 15 July 2009 | Streaming: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Now TV Cinema, ITVX Premium. Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video |
| 7 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (12A) | 19 November 2010 | Streaming: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Now TV Cinema, HBO Max. Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video |
| 8 | Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (12A) | 15 July 2011 | Streaming: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Now TV Cinema, ITVX Premium. Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video |
| 9 | Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (12A) | 18 November 2016 | Streaming: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Now TV Cinema, ITVX Premium. Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video |
| 10 | Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (12A) | 16 November 2018 | Streaming: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Now TV Cinema, ITVX Premium. Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video |
| 11 | Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (12A) | 8 April 2022 | Streaming: HBO Max Amazon Channel, ITVX Premium, HBO Max. Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video |
What is the Harry Potter story order, and why does it differ?
The Harry Potter story (chronological) order puts the three Fantastic Beasts films first. They are set in 1926, 1927 and 1932, decades before Harry arrives at Hogwarts. Watch them in sequence, then the eight Potter films from Philosopher's Stone to Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Within each series, story order and release order are the same.
The two orders differ because the prequels came later, arriving in 2016, 2018 and 2022, after the Potter series had ended. Their starting point is a book within a book. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was a Hogwarts textbook in the novels. A real edition followed in March 2001, published by Bloomsbury and Scholastic for Comic Relief. A new edition with a fresh foreword by J.K. Rowling appeared in March 2017.
David Yates links the two eras. He directed the last four Potter films and all three Fantastic Beasts films, which gives the two series a shared look.
Which order should you choose? A quick decision guide
Pick the route that suits whoever is on the sofa tonight.
- First time. Go with release order, starting with Philosopher's Stone. You meet the world as cinema audiences did in 2001, and the prequels make more sense once you know Hogwarts.
- Returning fan. Try story order: the three Fantastic Beasts films, then the eight Potter films. Seeing Jude Law's younger Dumbledore before Richard Harris's headmaster makes for a neat contrast.
- Younger viewers. The first three Potter films are rated PG by the BBFC. From Goblet of Fire onwards every film, including all three prequels, is 12A, so Prisoner of Azkaban is a natural pause.
- Planning the time. The eight Potter films add up to 1,178 minutes and the prequels to 409. That is almost 26 and a half hours, so plan a few weekends rather than one.
How to watch Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts in the UK
Our UK streaming data, checked on 4 November 2026, shows a few film-by-film gaps that matter for a marathon.
- Start with HBO Max or ITVX. All 11 films are listed on HBO Max and ITVX, and HBO Max also runs as an Amazon channel. Either service covers the whole run without gaps.
- Check ITVX Premium carefully. Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is on ITVX but not on ITVX Premium. Every other film appears on both.
- Mind the Now TV gaps. Now TV Cinema carries ten of the 11 films. Only The Secrets of Dumbledore is missing, so you will need another service for that one.
- Rent or buy the rest. Every film is available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video and Sky Store. YouTube has all of them except Deathly Hallows: Part 2.
- Recheck on the night. Streaming line-ups change, so check the table above before you press play.
When does the HBO Harry Potter series start in the UK?
The HBO Harry Potter series begins at Christmas 2026 with an eight-episode first season. Warner Bros. Discovery has confirmed Christmas 2026, and Deadline reports Christmas Day itself. In the UK it will stream only on HBO Max, which launched here on 26 March 2026. The first teaser was revealed at the UK launch event the day before.
The series is neither a sequel to the films nor a remake of them. It adapts the novels with a new cast: Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Arabella Stanton as Hermione and Alastair Stout as Ron. John Lithgow plays Dumbledore, Janet McTeer McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu Snape, Nick Frost Hagrid, Paul Whitehouse Filch and Luke Thallon Quirrell. Deadline says further seasons will follow.
Watch out for the title. Season one is called Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, the same as the 2001 film's UK title. At the time of writing, the film is streaming and the series has not been released yet.
Is there a Fantastic Beasts 4, and is Cursed Child a film?
There is no official announcement of a fourth or fifth Fantastic Beasts film. The five-film plan was J.K. Rowling's, not a studio announcement. Variety reported that, as of April 2022, no scripts existed for parts four and five. Warner Bros. had not said definitively whether they would be made. David Yates has described the franchise as "parked" in a podcast interview. For now, the story stops with The Secrets of Dumbledore.
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is not a film either, which is why it is missing from the table. It is a stage play, billed by its producers as the "eighth story", and it runs in the West End. After ten years there, the two-part play is being reimagined as a single performance of 2 hours 55 minutes with one interval. Deadline adds that the streamer may develop more Harry Potter ideas, but no titles or dates have been announced.
Questions people ask about the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films
What order should I watch the Harry Potter films in?
Start with Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and finish with Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the order in which they reached UK cinemas between 2001 and 2011. Add the three Fantastic Beasts films afterwards, or watch them first for story order.
Do I watch Fantastic Beasts before or after Harry Potter?
In story order Fantastic Beasts comes first, because the films are set in 1926, 1927 and 1932. In release order they come after the Potter films, from 2016 to 2022.
Where can I watch Harry Potter in the UK?
Our data from 4 November 2026 lists all eight Potter films and all three Fantastic Beasts films on HBO Max and ITVX. You can also rent or buy them from Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video and Sky Store.
When does the HBO Harry Potter series start in the UK?
The first season, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, arrives at Christmas 2026, with Deadline reporting Christmas Day. In the UK it will stream exclusively on HBO Max.
If you are starting tonight, open Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone on HBO Max or ITVX and let the rest follow. For another long run, try our guide to James Bond films in order.
Written by Barbara, part of the Hollywood Box team
More on Hollywood Box
- Harry Potter Returns to Hogwarts in Magical New Philosopher’s Stone Trailer
- March 2026 Streaming Guide: Everything New on Disney+, Prime Video & Apple TV
Sources
- Warner Bros. Discovery Press: HBO Original Harry Potter Series Releases First Official Teaser And Announces Christmas 2026 Debut
- Deadline: 'Harry Potter' Series First Teaser & Title Revealed; Christmas 2026 Release Date At HBO Set
- Harry Potter: Harry, Hermione and Ron casting revealed for the Harry Potter HBO Original Series
- Variety: Is J.K. Rowling's 'Fantastic Beasts' Franchise Dead at Warner Bros?
- Harry Potter: Celebrating 10 years in the West End, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child announces reimagined production
UK release dates and certificates from TMDB; streaming, rental and purchase options from JustWatch via TMDB, checked on 4 November 2026. Services change their catalogues often, so check the app before you settle in.
Series in this story
Where to watch, cast and trailers for every title we mention.
What else is new? See our UK streaming guide and this week's TV guide. Title details from TMDB.
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