best harry potter movie review

The best Harry Potter movies: every film ranked, from worst to best

Listing the best Harry Potter movies, ranked in their rightful place

A promo shot for the first Harry Potter movie showing Ron, Harry and Hermione dressed in their Hogwarts uniform and pointing their wands at the camera.

If you want to know which are the best Harry Potter movies, you're in the right place. There are eight movies in total, but if you only want the finest wizard flicks of the bunch, then in this magical guide we'll rank all of the Harry Potter films from the worst to the best, so you know which can be skipped and which should be savored.

Even the biggest Harry Potter fans know not all of the movies are created equal. After all, the franchise has had four directors all with different styles and approaches to adapting the books to the screen. Which means there's plenty to have an opinion on when it comes to which are the best Harry Potter movies in the saga.

If you're a purist, you need our guide to how to watch the Harry Potter movies in order instead. In the US, you can watch all of the Harry Potter movies on Peacock after the service took them from Max in 2022. In other countries, you'll find the Harry Potter movies on Netflix . So if you want to know which are worth your time , read on for our ranking of the best Harry Potter movies.

8. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Release date: 15 November 2002 Runtime: 161 minutes Age rating: PG (US) / PG (UK) Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Kenneth Branagh, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane, Jason Isaacs, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith Director: Chris Columbus

All of the best Harry Potter movies have positives, but the second movie, Chamber of Secrets , had a lot to live up to after the stellar success of the first instalment of the franchise. It was Chris Columbus, the Home Alone director, who took on the challenge of the first and second films – and he chose a darker, more dangerous path for the series in Chamber of Secrets , setting the tone for each subsequent movie.

With this in mind, it became more of a second-level of stage setting that, whilst incredibly important to the overall story, wasn’t filled with the magic and wonder of the others, hence why it's placed last on the Harry Potter movies ranked list. Plus, at a whopping two hours and 41 minutes, it was arguably a bit long for being one of the movies that focused more on introductions and narrative.

That being said, Chamber of Secrets is where we did get to first meet some iconic stalwarts of the series such as Draco Malfoy’s prolific dad, Lucius (Jason Isaacs) and everyone’s favourite house elf, Dobby (Toby Jones). For this, we are forever thankful.

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Chamber of Secrets does a fantastic job at maturing the story from the first instance of a group of kids, big-eyed and bushy-tailed, embarking on their adventure at Hogwarts and really just taking off their training wheels. With maturity came the stark realisation that the Harry Potter series was to be more ghastly than expected with Tom Riddle’s true identity slowly unravelling, an unfortunate slug-vomiting charm, and the terrifying Basilisk to name but a few of the movie’s iconic moments.

7. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Release date: 18 November 2005 Runtime: 157 minutes Age rating: PG-13 (US) / 12A (UK) Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Jason Isaacs, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, Gary Oldman, Timothy Spall Director: Mike Newell

Goblet of Fire is the home of the Triwizard Tournament and a thrilling addition to the franchise. It brought together alternative magical schools for which it may have initially seemed that Hogwarts was the only one. The promise of a Quidditch World Cup finale was a promising one, but one that was not delivered. And there was a questionable focus on the teenage romantic angst of the characters that left fans divided. Underlying it all though, the first big reveal of he who shall not be named (you know – we’ll name him later).

In Goblet of Fire , the students are clearly developing as they come to a certain stage of their lives and arguably, this ends up dominating much of the movie. It echoes perhaps the age of the cast too, showing fans that they were changing and that we would learn to grow alongside them.

It was always going to be a hard one to tackle given the shift in narrative, but director Mike Newell rose to the occasion creating drama, rivalry, and a notable change in the relationships not only in the newly-introduced characters but with the Harry, Ron, and Hermione too.

6. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Release date: 10 November 2001 Runtime: 152 minutes Age rating: PG (US) / PG (UK) Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, John Cleese, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davies, Richard Griffiths, Richard Harris, Ian Hart, John Hurt, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters Director: Chris Columbus

The first movie of the franchise, sure, and an absolutely fantastic start. But, not the best. It’s clear that the Sorcerer's Stone (Or Philosopher’s Stone as it was called outside of the US) had one focus in mind - to begin it all. Given what we know now about all the epic stories it was building up to, it’s no surprise that it made sure it set us up just right.

There are so many iconic moments in the Sorcerer's Stone that fans and newbies alike could enjoy as the first foray of Harry Potter to screen. We meet Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), the Hogwarts’ gentle gamekeeping giant. We board the Hogwarts Express alongside Harry for his maiden voyage to Hogwarts and, of course, we meet his best friends, Ron and Hermione. And, we’re treated to our very first look at the magical academy of Hogwarts itself..

Whilst Sorcerer's Stone is incredibly important to the franchise – because without it Harry Potter wouldn’t exist – the actual main storyline in the movie is something that leaves a little less to be desired in terms of magic and action when stacked up against the other movies in the franchise, placing it sixth.

5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Release date: 19 November 2010 Runtime: 146 minutes Age rating: PG-13 (US) / 12A (UK) Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Richard Griffiths, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Timothy Spall, Imelda Staunton, David Thewlis, Julie Walters Director: David Yates

Deathly Hallows: Part 1 has been continuously appreciated for how true it stayed to the book. Ending a series after such a long time meant there was a lot at stake and it needed to be done right. But, you’re not going to please everyone. Deathly Hallows: Part 1 absolutely turns its focus onto Harry, Ron, and Hermione, demonstrating the growth they’d made as characters and actors throughout the franchise. There’s long narrative moments, emotional exchanges, and the slow, nail-biting crescendo that, we know, inevitably amalgamates into the epic finale that was to follow.

It caused some split opinion with fans feeling that it wasn’t full of the action they had expected from Deathly Hallows and constant quibbling around the decision to split the movie into two parts. But, arguably, without Deathly Hallows: Part 1 building up the momentum and slowing the pace to focus on the characters we had all become so incredibly attached to, the stark change in pace when the storm hits in Deathly Hallows: Part 2 would not have been as impactful.

4. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Release date: 15 July 2009 Runtime: 153 minutes Age rating: PG (US) / 12A (UK) Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Jim Broadbent, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Michael Gambon, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, David Thewlis, Julie Walters Director: David Yates

As discussed for a few of the entries in the list, the best Harry Potter movies explore and finesse a fantastic balance between action-packed scenes and lending time to the relationship-building narrative. Half-Blood Prince is one of the movies that tests this balance to the extreme.

Filled with famed scenes such as the hunt for horcruxes, Christmas at the Burrow, and we still aren’t ready to discuss what happened in the Astronomy Tower, but our wands are held high. But then, taking long, gaping moments of screen time to build upon what the books started.

One thing feels right though, that without these moments of contemplation and focus, that the remaining movies would not have created such an all-encompassing emotion. Through J. K. Rowling’s writing and the director’s translation to film, the series manages to constantly allow its viewers to feel deeply for the characters and, as such, makes for a more impactful sensation when the action descends.

3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Release date: 11 July 2007 Runtime: 138 minutes Age rating: PG-13 (US) / 12A (UK) Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Richard Griffiths, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, Imelda Staunton, David Thewlis, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters Director: David Yates

If action is what you’re after though, Order of the Phoenix , has always been ready and raring to go armed with a complete abundance of it. Voldemort, Death Eaters, and butting heads with the Goliath that is the Ministry of Magic, Harry really has his work cut out for him and, of course, he doesn’t have to do it alone.

Director David Yates took the helm for this movie and, after great praise, the subsequent final three movies were his to play with. Yates took the humour, visuals, and action scenes to a new level for the franchise and delivered to fans what they’d waited years to see.

It’s the dialogue that truly shines in Order of the Phoenix , from conversations between Harry and Sirius (Gary Oldman), Snape (Alan Rickman), and Remus (David Thewlis) is unmatched in the series. Their discussions are tension building, emotional, and inevitably lead us to discover secrets about each character that surmised in shock and awe. Also, let’s not forget the epic Voldemort and Dumbledore duel that pitted two powerful wizards against each other to a momentous backdrop of the Atrium foundation in the Ministry of Magic.

2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Release date: 4 June 2004 Runtime: 142 minutes Age rating: PG (US) / PG (UK) Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, Richard Griffiths, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, David Thewlis, Emma Thompson, Julie Walters Director: Alfonso Cuarón

There’s so much to learn about Harry Potter and the world he finds himself constantly thrown around in. His parents, Voldemort, Hogwarts and its many staff’s relationship to Harry’s story, the Wizarding War, and his survival. Prisoner of Azkaban acts as a great beacon of detail for what we know about Harry up to this point.

We meet Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew for the first time. We learn about the Marauders map, visit Hogsmeade, learn about Patronus’, and see Harry fly both on Buckbeak and his Firebolt for the first time. A lot of firsts but ones with pivotal importance for the rest of the franchise.

Whilst Voldemort isn’t present, the tale of his return hangs over the movie like a dark cloud. This dark cloud is a stalwart for Prisoner of Azkaban , changing up the pace of a childlike wonder into a more mature nightmare. Much like the book, a crucial moment in the story where it becomes apparent that this tale isn’t going to follow a group of children learning the magic ropes, but one that will test their durability and stamina throughout.

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Release date: 15 July 2011 Runtime: 130 minutes Age rating: PG-13 (US) / 12 (UK) Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Ralph Fiennes, Michael Gambon, John Hurt, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, David Thewlis, Julie Walters Director: David Yates

Finally the top choice in our best Harry Potter movies ranked list. It’s hard to put into words how truly fantastic Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is at achieving its main goal – to end it all. There’s a lot at stake both in the fight for survival, but also in the amount of pressure on a finale to live up to expectations.

After Deathly Hallows: Part 1 split opinion and slowed down the pace, Deathly Hallows: Part 2 came as almost a surprise to fans who felt they’d been listened to, that expectations were being met, and that non-stop action was about to unravel before their very eyes. As is true with a lot of movie finales, Deathly Hallows: Part 2 becomes home to some of the most iconic scenes of the entire franchise.

Snape’s moments, in particular, that up to this point had painted a character over hours and hours of screen time as a villainous man, were transformed entirely by beautifully crafted directorial and writing prowess.

It was clear that everything up to this point had been leading to this movie. To tie it all together. To leave fans feeling satisfied, but also incredibly on edge. Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is a true example of film craftsmanship that shaped a much-loved book series and did it justice, whilst taking fans on one last, nail-biting and thrilling ride.

For more Harry Potter -based coverage, find out which films made it onto our best Netflix movies and best Max movies lists. Alternatively, read up on why we don't need a Harry Potter reboot on Max , even though Harry Potter 's TV remake is set to arrive in 2026 .

Grace is a freelance writer for TechRadar, with past work at sites like GamesRadar, Metro and The Loadout.

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All Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Movies Ranked: The Wizarding World by Tomatometer

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban celebrates its 20th anniversary!

The Harry Potter film franchise ruled the box office for a decade, but it also managed the uncommon feat of earning Certified Fresh status for every single one of its installments. It remains one of the most successful movie sagas of all time, and it’s even spawned a spinoff series. But while the first Fantastic Beasts continue the Certified Fresh streak, the second became the first Rotten entry in this cinematic Wizarding World. The third Beasts film, The Secrets of Dumbledore , released April 2022. Now, we’re ranking all Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies by Tomatometer! — Alex Vo

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) 96%

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) 90%

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) 88%

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) 84%

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) 82%

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) 81%

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) 78%

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) 77%

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) 74%

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) 46%

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) 36%

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All the <i>Harry Potter</i> Movies, Ranked

All the Harry Potter Movies, Ranked

B lame ABC Family for playing Sorcerer’s Stone on repeat throughout the 2000s, but for many Millennials (and now, their children) a chill in the air demands curling up on the couch for a Harry Potter rewatch.

While millions of viewers used to take comfort in visits to Hogwarts, these days, engaging with the series can be complicated. Harry Potter taught so many about the importance of fighting against prejudice, which makes creator J.K. Rowling’s controversial comments on gender identity all the more disappointing. Even some of her most ardent fans accused her of transphobia, at which point Rowling doubled down on her exclusionary brand of feminism . Now, many fans strive to find a way to derive value from the material while rejecting its creator’s views.

Even Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, who spoke out against Rowling’s anti-trans tweets, has wrestled with whether the story is irredeemably tarnished. In an open letter for the Trevor Project , he wrote, “If these books taught you that love is the strongest force in the universe … if they taught you that strength is found in diversity, and that dogmatic ideas of pureness lead to the oppression of vulnerable groups; if you believe that a particular character is trans, nonbinary, or gender fluid, or that they are gay or bisexual … then that is between you and the book that you read, and it is sacred. And in my opinion nobody can touch that.” For many, the annual rewatch remains a tradition, albeit a fraught one.

And so, we find ourselves reassessing these adaptations, all eight of which are streaming on both Peacock and HBO Max as of Oct. 15. Typically, fans agree on favorites in a film series. Most Star Wars diehards will tell you Empire Strikes Back is great, and Phantom Menace sucks; Indiana Jones fans will assure you that none of the sequels lived up to Raiders of the Lost Ark ; and anyone who argues Dark Knight isn’t the best of the Batman movies is just trying to be contrarian. Rational minds can certainly disagree. But for the most part, every franchise has good movies and bad movies, and it’s easy to divide films into those two buckets.

The Harry Potter films prove more difficult to rank. True, the awful new Fantastic Beasts movies will easily land at the bottom of any Potter fan’s list (spoiler alert). But the older films are surprisingly solid. Look up fan polls and critics’ rankings, and you’ll find there’s no consensus view on how the original eight films compare. Some fans prefer the glee of those first movies, while others trend towards the darker entries later in the franchise. Movie fans may love the cinematography of Half-Blood Prince , while book loyalists take umbrage with director David Yates’ adaptation choices. Some critics preferred the quiet, contemplative moments spent in the forest during Deathly Hallows, Part 1 , while others favor the action-packed battles of Deathly Hallows, Part 2 .

Many fans’ views have also evolved with the passage of time. It’s easier to assess the series as a whole now that the movies have become a true cultural touchstone. And Rowling’s commentary, political views and additions to the canon will no doubt influence any critic’s perception of the films, for better or worse. Here is how we rank the Harry Potter films—at least for now.

10. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald embodies everything wrong with the continued expansion of the H arry Potter universe. The Harry Potter prequel could have explored a whole new corner of the wondrous world Rowling once built. Instead Grindelwald plays like a cash grab. Rowling’s script tries to connect just about every new character it introduces in some forced, hackneyed and occasionally racist way to the characters we know and love from the original Harry Potter films. But the revelation that one character will eventually become a snake or that another is a long-lost relative of Albus Dumbledore only muddles the canon.

Meanwhile, the one person the audience does recognize and care about—young Dumbledore, played enchantingly by Jude Law—gets the short shrift. Despite insisting in interviews that Dumbledore and the Hitler-esque wizard Gellert Grindelwald were romantically involved as teens, Rowling has never actually written that romance into any of her books or screenplays. Crimes of Grindelwald centers on a proxy battle between Dumbledore and Grindelwald but only vaguely references that the two might have had a romantic relationship. Rowling’s refusal to acknowledge that these two men are queer and have a complicated history is maddening. It zaps the film of any real tension between its main hero and villain. Meanwhile, offscreen, Rowling’s insistence that Grindelwald actor Johnny Depp remain with the franchise after his ex-wife Amber Heard accused Depp of assault, was off-putting to say the least. Since then, a high court judge found that Johnny Depp was guilty of assaulting Heard , and Warner Bros. finally parted ways with the actor . Still, the ill-fated series will soldier on.

Read More: Just Cancel the Fantastic Beasts Franchise Already

9. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Eddie Redmayne in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was Rowling’s first screenplay, and it shows. If you squint, there’s a good movie within Fantastic Beasts about the rise of fascism in the Wizarding World in the 1920s. Unfortunately, studios have to sell stuffed animals. So Fantastic Beasts wraps its dark Grindelwald origin story inside a movie about a dorky magical creature enthusiast (Eddie Redmayne) scurrying across 1920s New York City trying to round up adorable critters. The platypus-esque Nifflers are, undeniably, cute, and the other CGI creatures are quite impressive. But the bipolar movie never quite ties the two plots together.

There’s hope that Rowling could rectify this issue in future films. One of Rowling’s best talents is actually intricate plotting—the early Harry Potter books and their adaptations would often weave plots together to make a more cohesive whole. The author would patiently plant the seeds of a plot point in an early novel that would then bloom in the later books to stunning effect. Perhaps it’s unfair to judge Fantastic Beasts on just the first two entries (the studio intends to produce five films). But so far the franchise has failed to cast a spell over its audience.

8. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Let me be clear: There is a giant chasm between Chamber of Secrets and the Fantastic Beast films. While Chamber may rank low on this list, it’s still a delightful time at Hogwarts. Hermione turns into a cat person! Harry and Ron fly in a car! Kenneth Branagh pokes fun at his own public persona as a narcissist! Sure, child actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint haven’t quite yet mastered their acting skills. But they’re pretty cute.

And yet, the movie clocks in at 160 minutes, far too long for one of the shorter and, let’s be honest, lesser Harry Potter books. The pace of the film is, at times, agonizingly slow. Like Sorcerer’s Stone , Chris Columbus’ Chamber is slavishly dedicated to the book—except for the bizarre moment when Lucius Malfoy attempts to use the killing curse “avada kedavra” on Harry in the middle of a Hogwarts hallway. (Apparently Lucius Malfoy actor Jason Isaacs improvised the line and had forgotten the actual meaning of the curse.) In transcribing the work rather than adapting it, Columbus undercuts a sense of discovery that is essential to the Potter stories.

7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone - Movie Stills

Though it’s probably the truest book-to-movie adaptation, the Sorcerer’s Stone , with its Matilda- esque tone, doesn’t live up to the power of the rest of the series. In retrospect, the CGI is clunky, and the one-liners are too cute by half. Still, Christopher Columbus was also able to capture, well, the magic of that first introduction into Hogwarts. As soon as those owls begin to invade the Dursley’s neighborhood, the Wizarding World suddenly seemed more accessible than it ever did on the page.

At the time of its premiere, Sorcerer’s success was no guarantee. Throughout the 2000s, fantasy adaptations like The Golden Compass and Eragon flopped at the box office. But Columbus’ movies managed to do right by the books: Hogwarts awed; quidditch looked exactly as fans had imagined it; and the school uniforms became instantly iconic. Columbus’ team also made some fantastic casting decisions that would pay off years later, like recruiting Alan Rickman to play Severus Snape and Maggie Smith to tackle Minerva McGonagall. And they found a trio of child actors who would, over the next decade, hold their own in scenes with some of England’s most talented thespians.

6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I

Ah, Deathly Hallows, Part 1 : perhaps the most divisive movie in the franchise. How do you feel about watching three teenagers bicker in the forest for a few hours? What if two of those characters take a dance break seemingly designed to enrage or tantalize fans, depending on which characters you ship?

There are things to adore in this movie, like the breathtaking animation of the “Tale of the Three Brothers.” And director David Yates does beautifully capture the frustrations of Harry’s Horcrux mission. The scenes in which Harry, Ron and Hermione aimlessly walk through empty fields and abandoned parking lots, a fuzzy voice on the radio rattling off the names of the dead as they wander capture the book perfectly.

But Part 1 spends very little time during those quiet conversations exploring who Dumbledore was and his connection to the Deathly Hallows, three magical tools that are crucial to the final fight in the following film. That may seem like nerdy nitpicking. But good genre fiction distinguishes itself from bad genre fiction by imbuing its McGuffins with actual meaning. If Harry doesn’t have a personal connection to the Elderwand through Dumbledore, then he’s just chasing some meaningless shiny object. Such scenes also could have given the audience more time with Ralph Fiennes as Voldemort, who shines in Part 2 as one of the greatest onscreen villains of all time.

5. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Book fans tend to criticize the Half-Blood Prince adaptation because it leaves out crucial details about Tom Riddle (a.k.a. Voldemort) and why he decides to create the Horcruxes. As a result, the burden falls upon the already plot-heavy sequels to communicate the importance of these magical objects. It’s frustrating to watch Harry hunt down and destroy parts of Tom Riddle’s soul like he’s stumbling across random Bosses in a video game when Rowling gave each Horcrux a meaningful backstory in the books that rendered Voldemort a more complex character.

More than any other movie, Half-Blood Prince seems to miss the point of the books. Take the pivotal scene in which Snape kills Dumbledore. Although Harry’s single defining trait as a character is his willingness to rush rashly and headlong into danger for his loved ones, the movie-version of Harry stands by and does nothing while Dumbledore is murdered. In the book, Dumbledore has put Harry under a spell that prevents him from moving to interfere with Snape—a detail skipped over in the movie. Exacerbating matters is Michael Gambon’s performance as Dumbledore, which comes across as cold and commanding rather than gentle and eccentric.

Still, the cinematography in Half-Blood Prince is fantastic. Yates signals the transition to a grimmer story by rendering Hogwarts as darker and more empty than in previous films. It’s arguably the most aesthetically beautiful of all the movies. And many critics have praised the slower pace of the film, which spends less time on Quidditch and magical battles and more time on character relationships than its predecessors.

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2

Deathly Hallows, Part 2 is all action. As soon as the movie begins, Harry, Ron and Hermione are breaking into Gringotts, riding on the back of a dragon and, finally, battling Voldemort. That’s not always a good thing: The audience is barely given a moment to breathe and consider the consequences of this final battle. Book readers will certainly miss some of the quieter moments of reflection, particularly between Harry and Dumbledore at King’s Cross Station after Harry dies.

But the film is able to pull off several crucial moments of character development amid the chaos, including Neville’s evolution into a bold hero, Ron and Hermione’s first kiss and Molly Weasley’s epic defeat of Bellatrix LeStrange. To that end, the film plays like a somber but satisfying reunion. Deathly Hallows Part 1, and even to some extent Half-Blood Prince, are films about loneliness and isolation. Some of the most beloved characters in the Harry Potter series are missing entirely from those movies. When Harry, Ron and Hermione return to Hogwarts, we get to enjoy Rowling’s wide array of Dickensian characters once again.

And the movie more than makes up for any elided conversations with the emotional punch of Alan Rickman’s performance as Snape. The series’ finale hinges on Rickman’s ability to sell the audience on the idea that his love for Harry’s mother Lily was so strong that he took on the impossible job of playing double agent. And while the books are told almost entirely from Harry’s perspective, Yates wisely chooses to offer his audience Snape’s point of view: He begins the film with shot of Snape gazing over Hogwarts and pauses to linger on Snape’s face as he dies weeping in Harry’s arms. In those two moments, elevates the story from a battle between good and evil to one of a complicated man’s struggle to cling to the power of love in the face of hatred.

3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe in HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE

It’s unfortunate the movie version of Goblet of Fire doesn’t fall at the top of the heap when the book version ranks #1 or #2 for many Potter fans. But director Mike Newell made some irksome choices that diverge wildly from the original text, including, notoriously, Dumbledore screaming at Harry, “Did you put your name in the goblet of fire?!?” a line that Dumbledore uttered “calmly” in the book. Worse still, Goblet is at its heart a mystery novel, but the adaptation undercuts the whodunnit at the center of the story—who did put Harry’s name in the Goblet of Fire?—by showing the culprit in the very first scene .

That said, it’s pretty hard to screw up Rowling’s best story. Goblet breaks from the formula of the last three books, centering the action around the Triwizard Tournament instead of the normal events school year. The three terrifying tasks are a joy to behold, and the angst-producing Yule Ball plays host to some of the most fraught—and delicious—teen drama in the series.

The movie also successfully balances the fun of the tournament with the gravity of Cedric’s death, a major turning point in the franchise. A young Robert Pattinson proves his star power in the small but consequential role. And as Cedric’s father mourns over his body, even non-readers realize the story is about to transform from a boarding school romp into a deadly battle between tolerance and prejudice. Plus, Ralph Fiennes’ inaugural performance as He Who Must Not Be Named is appropriately terrifying and wonderful.

2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Michael Gambon as Albus Dumbledore in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix ."

The book Order of the Phoenix often gets knocked for its preoccupation with hormonal teenagers’ mood swings. But that’s the brilliance of the story. Our heroes are hormonal teenagers who make bad decisions based on impulse. The book does force readers to spend a lot of time inside Harry’s head when he’s at his most angry. The movie actually spares the audience this unpleasantness. Because of medium, we only see Harry’s external reactions, and Radcliffe smartly chooses to play Harry as defeated and depressed, a decision that engenders sympathy rather than alienating the audience. Harry only shares his darkest fears about something evil burgeoning inside him in intimate scenes with his godfather Sirius, which makes Sirius’ sudden and surprising death at the end of the film all the more painful.

Other things that recommend Order of the Phoenix: Quieter conversations that plumb the characters’ emotional depths; nightmare-inducing performances by two of the series’ best late-game villains, Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix and Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge; and no quidditch, a game that was getting deadly boring by the second film. But the best part of this movie is the epic final showdown in the Department of Mysteries between Dumbledore and Voldemort. That battle—the only one we get to see between the two greatest wizards in history—takes plenty of license but does so in the best way possible. The clash of fire and water and transformation of glass into sand encapsulate the power of film adapation.

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Alan Rickman, Daniel Radcliffe,

It’s no surprise that Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuarón directed the best of the Harry Potter flicks. Some might call Prisoner of Azkaban more “adult” than the first two movies. And while we’re of the philosophy that anyone can enjoy and appreciate Harry Potter , it’s certainly fair to say that Cuarón made a more atmospheric movie. He clearly has a talent for working with child actors: The director allowed them to style their school uniforms however they liked, adding a realistic and lived-in feeling to the film. His eye for detail also brings Hogwarts truly to life for the first time, from the candles that look like spinal columns floating in Professor Lupin’s classroom to the reimagined Whomping Willow, which marks the passage of time by huffily shaking off its leaves in autumn.

There are a few choices to quibble with: Deciding not to film a flashback scene featuring Harry’s father and his friends prowling the Hogwarts grounds as Animagi (wizards who can transform into animals) was a missed opportunity. And Cuarón may have unwittingly given away Snape’s allegiance when he directed Alan Rickman to throw his arms across Harry and his friends to protect them from a werewolf, an impulsive act of selflessness that seemed uncharacteristic for the snarling professor. And the Time Turners introduce thousands of questions and plot holes. But all those choices serve a final time traveling sequence that, with the giant clock ticking away in the background, is pitch perfect.

Correction, Nov. 3

The original version of this story misstated when the movies The Golden Compass and Eragon premiered. They debuted after The Sorcerer’s Stone film was released, not before.

The best Harry Potter movies ranked from worst to wand-erful

In the run-up to Hogwarts Legacy's release, check out our ranked list of the best Wizarding World movies

Pinning down the best Harry Potter movies is so difficult, it might as well be a challenge in the Triwizard Tournament. Some like their Wizarding World movies on the darker side, while others prefer more folly with their fantasy – so everyone's order is likely to look a little different.

There's one reason why trying to rank the best Harry Potter movies is a particularly fiendish endeavor: multiple generations of wizards literally grew up with these movies. Throw in the three existing Fantastic Beasts entries and these are seriously formative film memories we're playing with here, a magic that even Dumbledore himself would surely warn us against trying to fully understand.

Organizing the best Harry Potter movies means asking the big questions, but in a significantly more calm and collected way than the Hogwarts headteacher asking Harry if he put his name in the Goblet of Fire. Do Chris Columbus' originals stand the test of time? Do we agree with the brutal removal of Hermione's entire SPEW storyline from The Goblet of Fire? Why didn’t Harry work out that Sirius' kidnapping was a trap set by Voldemort?! And we've taken a stab at answering them and more below. So, here are the the best Harry Potter movies, err, sorted into a definitive top 11. Accio list!

11. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)

Ouch. While this entry should have soared majestically like a Hippogriff into the top half of this list, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is sitting sadly at the bottom of the best Harry Potter movies pile. Sorry, Pickett, the adorable Bowtruckle, this isn't about you, I promise. Despite a shift of the magical action to Paris and the return of all our favorite Fantastic Beasts characters, this second of five films planned in the series falls flat in too many ways. The main one being a completely muddled plot that makes trying to enjoy the company of Newt and co almost impossible as everyone tries to explain the story to one another.

Even the appearance of Nicolas Flamel, the tease of Nagini's origins story, and the further extension of wizarding lore just can't take away from the fact that this feels distinctly like filler. One major highlight though is an early glimpse at Hogwarts with Jude Law as a young Dumbledore. A swelling score and sweeping shots of the wizarding school means director David Yates' knows his audience's passion and desperate desire for just one more year of the fuzzy, house-colored comfort blanket feels bittersweet. That the adult world so perfectly depicted in the first Fantastic Beasts can become a drudge in comparison to school is more than a little depressing.

Read more: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald ending explained

10. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)

Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

After the disappointing Crimes of Grindelwald, things could only get better, right? Well, turns out, yes, because follow-up Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is an improvement on its predecessor – though not by much. There are more cute creatures (we'd do pretty much anything for a pet qilin), the plot is much easier to follow, Mads Mikkelsen – replacing Johnny Depp – makes for a beguiling Grindelwald, and the film's willingness to make his romantic relationship with Jude Law's Albus Dumbledore explicit is refreshing given the franchise's history with such things. That said, the film just concretes the fact that this spin-off series doesn't know what the heck it's supposed to be; a set of warmhearted jollies about an adorable foursome and their animal-related antics, or an exploration of the complicated rise of a fascist wizard army that may have had something to do with World War 2!?

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Either one might have been fine (though we have serious doubts about the latter), but you can't really have both. We got the whole epic Good vs Evil thing with the Harry Potter series. Honestly, now, all we want to see here is Newt Scamander and Tina Goldstein share awkward, loving glances while trying to wrestle a Demiguise back into the former's magical briefcase.

Read more: Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore ending explained

9. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)

It feels like sacrilege to put the first movie so low. The John Williams score twinkling for the first time… that defining shot of Hogwarts against an inky black starry sky… Diagon Alley... Yet it's important to note that your memories of Harry receiving his letter are all about the first time you saw this world brought to life, not of the film itself which is distinctly average compared to what followed. Regardless though, it sets the scene for everything to come and if nothing else is two and a half hours of the promise of future excitement.

Richard Harris’ Dumbledore is a bittersweet joy as he welcomes the adorable Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint to their future lives as Harry, Hermione, and Ron, and the joy of experiencing Rowling’s world for the first time can’t be undersold. Chris Columbus direction might be plodding but the goblins of Gringotts, meeting Hagrid, learning Quidditch with the most chipper of Scots and entering the Gryffindor common room are all silver screen joy. This is a universe of so much potential that enraptures its readers and in that respect, the designers and casting professionals did everything right. It’s the ultimate in magical wish fulfilment. We just won’t talk about CGI Fluffy who hasn’t aged particularly well...

8. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Despite paving the way for the rest of the movies, you can probably already see that Chris Columbus' debut adaptations aren't doing particularly well in our list of the best Harry Potter movies. He may be responsible for Home Alone and Mrs Doubtfire, but Columbus' slavish silver-screen Potter attempts manage to make the source material oddly paint by numbers. There's magic here but with stabilisers on.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is far from bad, though. It's still got a giant murderous snake that lives in the walls (Basilisk-y business), exciting Quidditch matches, the kids are still at that adorable stage, and the perfect casting of Kenneth Branagh as the entirely inept Professor Gilderoy Lockhart is a glowing example of the British talent commanded by the franchise. While it's not until Prisoner of Azkaban that things get really dark, the horrifying mystery at the heart of Chamber of Secrets is dealt with bravely, if ploddingly with a massive 161 minute run time. Like a Blast-Ended Skrewt with its stinger removed, magical but a little too safe.

7. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

It's a well documented fact that your favorite moments from books will be cut, trimmed, or just plain deleted from the inevitable movie adaptation. It doesn't make it any easier though, and Four Wedding and a Funeral director Mike Newell's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was the first time that serious cuts had to be made. The thickest of Rowling's tomes in the series so far, sacrifices were clearly necessary as Harry's name flew out of the Triwizard cup, forcing him into a perilous competition against rival magical schools.

Sure there's a lot to enjoy as the students attend their first dances, Brendan Gleeson joyously munches on the scenery as the grizzled Mad Eye Moody, and we get the history of a Death Eater known as Barty Crouch, but a lot of the movie feels like a highlights reel. The introductory sequence at the Quidditch World Cup feels rushed and strained and it's obvious just how difficult it is to fit in Rowling's carefully constructed narrative cohesively into under three hours. Regardless, it still makes it to the excellent final showdown with a newly reborn Lord Voldemort and sets up a seriously dark hat trick to follow.

6. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

Let's face it, the first in the latest wizarding world series is an absolute joy and a worthy number six in our list of the best Harry Potter movies. Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and his quest for those titular Fantastic Beasts doesn't just give us a background to the author of one of Harry's school books, but goes back to the age of a younger Grindelwald, the previous dark owner of the Elder wand. The happy maker here is a whole new magical world that we've never seen before as we explore American wizardry in 1920s New York. MACUSA, the US equivalent of the Ministry of Magic is introduced, the nefarious Second Salemer witch hunters surface, and we experience a very different culture where No-maj (US muggles) aren't allowed to even make contact with wizards.

A deft blend of humor and darkness, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is carried by its excellent cast. Redmayne bumbles through New York as the nature loving Newt, Katherine Waterston is the entertainingly furious ex-auror Tina, and Alison Sudol is the wonderfully charming Queenie. Add in Dan Fogler as the No-maj baker who stumbled into the adventure in the bank and the Harry Potter movies suddenly evolve into child-free zones where the possibilities are darker, even if there are Nifflers filling themselves with gold coins. You might even shed a tear.

5. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009)

Here's where director David Yates really started to use his Deluminator. Just like the books, The Half Blood Prince was when Potter got darker than ever; muggle murders as Death Eaters swarm London's Millennium Bridge, an attack on the Weasley home, Tom Riddle's eerie backstory and, yes, the horrific and tragic death of Dumbledore. *sob* How could Rowling do it to us? While Hogwarts is still reasonably safe, the peril that lies outside the gates is palpable.

There's an enjoyably grown up theme here too. Teen hormones are everywhere - it seems to make sense to get with everyone in sight if you're about to be murdered by dark wizards - and the 'will they/won't they' relationship between Harry and Ginny is enjoyably handled amidst the madness. The Half Blood Prince also adds the brilliant Jim Broadbent to the cast as Professor Horace Slughorn, a pompous but good-hearted soul who once gave a young Voldemort some seriously risky information. As Harry and Dumbledore work together to find the various Horcruxes of Voldemort's soul, there's a truly thrilling narrative at work that's deftly handled by Yates. It's dark, it's scary, and it knows it.

4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Also known as the book where Harry spoke in LOTS of caps, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a turning point for the magical series. Harry is (quite rightly) sadness and angst personified, Voldemort is well and truly back after the tragic demise of Cedric Diggory in Goblet of Fire, and the wizarding world is in fascinating turmoil. The real coup here though is the brilliant Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge, the official appointed to regulate a 'rogue' Hogwarts as the Ministry of Magic denies the return of the Dark Lord.

Umbridge is a truly disturbing force to be reckoned with. Surrounded by kittens, pink, and doilies but physically torturing students by etching lines directly onto their skin, she has a gleeful nefariousness that would be recommended reading at super villain university. It's no coincidence either that this is the first movie to be directed by David Yates, whose innate understanding of Rowling's world blends the humor and joy of Hogwarts with the nastiness of slews of incoming murderous dark wizards. The comedy of Umbridge's ignored Educational Decrees is perfectly combined with the pain of Harry's first romance, the swirling darkness outside of Hogwarts grounds, and the ultimately painful conclusion as young Mr Potter is left, once again, feeling very much on his own in the world.

3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 (2010)

And suddenly the series which had started out as a children's movie descends into its grimmest hour. Death, fury, murder, torture, and the death of Dobby . The first of the films not to feature a trip to Hogwarts, suddenly life is much more dangerous for our exhausted magical trio. There's no going through the motions here for the actors either. Without the safe walls of Hogwarts, real emotions and real tragedy is the order of the day, making Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 an impressive and genuinely emotional journey. Acting chops are challenged but there's a proper sense of gravitas to proceedings.

The decision to separate the final book into two movies pays dividends here as David Yates takes the right amount of time to line up the final movie of the almost decade long franchise. One particular highlight - other than the painful loss of Dobby, Mad-Eye Moody, and Hedwig - is the addition of a beautiful animation to explain the tale of the three brothers and the mythical titular Deathly Hallows. Helena Bonham Carter too is a livewire as Bellatrix Lestrange who heads into the follow up with the blood of Dobby on her hands as well as Sirius Black from earlier in the franchise.

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011)

What's not to love about the Battle of Hogwarts? Neville victoriously becomes a hero and beheads a snake! Molly practically quotes Aliens at Bellatrix Lestrange, and the noseless Ralph Fiennes is superb as a crowing triumphant Lord Voldemort. Deathly Hallows - Part 2 is a truly fitting finale for the series even if it does feature the terrible scene at the end where 16-year-olds pretend to be 40. Hogwarts, a place of such safety and previous happiness, becomes a battleground and Yates effortlessly steers us through some truly thrilling set pieces where death is a very real prospect for characters we have seen grow old for the better part of a decade.

Snape's downfall is tragically touching as we witness his grim death through frosted glass, Harry's realisation and acceptance of his true destiny is genuinely heart wrenching, and there's a sense of gravitas that’s miles away from the happy go lucky feasts of the original movie. Deathly Hallows - Part 2 feels like a true journey for the series and one that importantly doesn't shy away from the terror that awaits in Rowling's world. In the words of Albus Dumbledore though, "happiness can be found even in the darkest times if one only remembers to turn on the light."

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

And here we have it. The best Harry Potter movie. And don't you dare look at me like I've just hit you with a bat bogey hex. Harry's third cinematic adventure is still the very best the franchise has to offer. The dark cinema of Children of Men director Alfonso Cuarón meshes perfectly with the inherently disturbing plot of an escaped maniac hunting Harry down to murder him. Where Chris Columbus' wizarding world of the first two movies is remarkably bright regardless of the spirit of Voldemort gradually returning, Cuarón brings something significantly more twisted and blackly comic to proceedings. Azkaban, all the way back in 2004, was a breath of bleak new air and it still stands up today.

Harry's hotel room in The Leaky Cauldron is filthy and layered with dust, the blowing up of Aunt Marge is deliciously unpleasant, a bird is happily eaten by the Whomping Willow, and Harry's first trip on The Knight Bus is a surrealist nightmare narrated by Lenny Henry: "If you have the pea soup, make sure you eat it, before it eats you…" And that's even before the series lets Gary Oldman get his teeth into Sirius Black and offers up one of the best werewolf transformations on film, or the joys of the brilliant Timothy Spall as the snivelling Wormtail and the introduction of the chilling Dementors. It doesn’t get better than this.

Louise Blain is a journalist and broadcaster specialising in gaming, technology, and entertainment. She is the presenter of BBC Radio 3’s monthly Sound of Gaming show and has a weekly consumer tech slot on BBC Radio Scotland. She can also be found on BBC Radio 4, BBC Five Live, Netflix UK's YouTube Channel, and on The Evolution of Horror podcast. As well as her work on GamesRadar, Louise writes for NME, T3, and TechRadar. When she’s not working, you can probably find her watching horror movies or playing an Assassin’s Creed game and getting distracted by Photo Mode.

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The best Harry Potter movies, ranked by Rotten Tomatoes

The Wizarding World began with the Harry Potter movies before evolving into a sprawling if uneven cinematic universe. The tale of The Boy Who Lived enchanted fans the world over, becoming a cultural phenomenon and reaping massive critical and commercial success. Harry’s story ended with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 , a suitably epic and satisfying conclusion to the saga that defined a generation.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald (2018) -36%

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) – 62%
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) – 74%
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010) – 77%
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) – 77%
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) – 81%
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) – 82%
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) – 84%
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2006) – 88%
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) – 90%
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011) – 96%

Not willing to abandon one of their most successful franchises, Warner Bros. greenlit a series of spinoffs beginning with 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them . This new series failed to achieve the same critical and commercial reception as its predecessor, but it successfully kept the Wizarding World afloat. Eleven films have premiered so far, including Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore , as well as the blockbuster video game Hogwarts Legacy . Most of the Potter movies earned considerable acclaim from critics, as evidenced by their high scores in the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, but the Fantastic Beasts entries haven’t been as lucky.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was successful enough to warrant a sequel, this time focusing on the Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald. The film attempts to expand the series’ lore, but it does itself a disservice by focusing on yet another Dark Wizard, who audiences already knew was considerably weaker than Voldemort. So why bother telling his story?

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The Crimes of Grindelwald is an ugly stain on the Wizarding World. Plain, uneven, and erratic, it juggled multiple plots without knowing what to do with them. However, it makes the worst mistake possible: It’s boring, and fans feel every single of the film’s 134 minutes. The Crimes of Grindelwald pulls the incredible feat of having nothing of value despite its extended runtime, and once the credits roll, fans can’t help but wonder why the movie even exists.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022) – 62%

What a difference a screenwriter can make. After it became clear that J.K. Rowling was a weak writer for the screen, Warner Bros. recruited experienced Hollywood player Steve Kloves, the man behind seven of the eight Potter entries. The result, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is a film that seems great in comparison to what came before; however, when the bar is in the mud, it isn’t difficult to raise it.

Still, credit where credit’s due: The Secrets of Dumbledore is ambitious, perhaps too much for its own good. The world is needlessly complicated and, at times, uninviting, and the story remains chaotic and directionless. The ever-sprawling cast elevates the film, particularly Jude Law doing most of the heavy lifting. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is yet another confusing entry in the Wizarding World, one that’s still guilty of queerbaiting despite its seemingly well-meaning intentions.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) – 74%

Following the ending of the Potter saga, Warner Bros. found itself with the sprawling Wizarding World and a million ways to exploit it. It opted for the little book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , a compendium of several magical creatures within the Wizarding World. J.K. Rowling wrote the screenplay, centering on the fictional book’s author, Newt Scamander, and his trip to New York City during the 1920s.

Fresh and exciting, this new chapter of the Wizarding World was intriguing enough to entice fans back into the magical world. The film featured dazzling visual effects, an interesting-enough storyline, and a slew of charming performances, including Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, and the criminally underused Colin Farrell. The ending brings the whole movie down by retreading into tired and familiar territory, but for the most part, Fantastic Beasts was a promising new start for the Wizarding World.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010) – 77%

Splitting the last installment in the Potter franchise might’ve seemed like a shameless cash grab — and it was. However, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows packed enough plot and action to warrant two movies, the first of which premiered in November 2010. A road movie, Deathly Hallows – Part 1 was the first time Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the comfort of Hogwarts and faced the so-called “real world.”

Deathly Hallows – Part 1 features some of the Golden Trio’s strongest acting as tensions mount and failure looms over them. The film puts special focus on the trio’s relationship and the nature of their seemingly unbreakable bond, allowing for some of the saga’s most poignant scenes. By framing the action against the backdrop of Voldemort’s rise in power, Deathly Hallows – Part 1 delivers a thrilling and anxious entry that more than justifies its existence.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) – 77%

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was the first film after Voldemort’s return, and it suitably reflects the darker direction the franchise takes for its second half. The film is Harry against the world, literally, as the Wizarding World turns its back on The Boy Who Lived and his claims of Voldemort’s return. It also introduces Dolores Umbridge, arguably the franchise’s best villain, ranking above Voldemort himself.

Order of the Phoenix presents Harry at his worst. Angry, selfish, volatile, and prone to emotional outbursts, Harry tests the audience’s sympathy, coming out unscathed despite his best efforts. The film, the first under the helm of Potter mainstay David Yates, also features the franchise’s best magical duel, a confrontation between Voldemort and Dumbledore that’s yet to be topped. A slew of tragedies and significant steps forward in the saga’s overarching storyline make Order of the Phoenix a must-see.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) – 81%

Chris Columbus had the herculean task of introducing the magical world of Harry Potter to mainstream audiences at a time when many doubted the fantasy genre still had anything left to give. His efforts in kicking off the franchise were successful for the most part, delivering a suitably charming and fantastical entry that enchanted fans worldwide and, along with The Lord of the Rings , revived the long-dormant genre.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone is the most childish entry in the saga. It remains firmly in kiddie territory, sugarcoating or outright ignoring some of the saga’s most complex themes. However, it’s hard to hold that against the movie, especially when there’s so much magic to make up for it. Columbus and his team created the visual essence of the Wizarding World, paving the way for everything that came after it.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) – 82%

Harry’s second adventure delves into darker territory, showing the earliest signs of the direction the franchise would eventually take. Chamber of Secrets follows Harry as he begins hearing a mysterious voice just as the titular Chamber of Secrets gets opened again. With Columbus back as the helmer, the sequel reuses nearly every element that worked in the first one while introducing a few more.

Chamber of Secrets features a more ambitious and complex plot, arguably the most intricate in the saga. The film somewhat simplifies it compared with the source material, but the adaptation remains polished and thrilling, continuing Harry’s journey into heroic territory. Chamber of Secrets isn’t the strongest entry in the saga, but it is a memorable one that stands in its own right, an accomplishment in and of itself.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) – 84%

Harry’s sixth year comes with his most difficult challenge yet. With the Wizarding World aware of Voldemort’s return and Dumbledore away for extended periods, Harry must come to terms with his role as “the Chosen One” by himself. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince finds Harry mourning Sirius’ death and dealing with his romantic feelings for Ginny, making it one of the few entries that cares as much about Harry’s psyche as it does for his role as a hero.

Half-Blood Prince had the difficult task of introducing and developing a plot element that would be crucial for the saga’s successful conclusion. It succeeded thanks to the strength of Michael Gambon’s performance as Dumbledore and Steve Kloves’ clever screenplay. Pivotal revelations and several breakthroughs in the characters’ relationships make Half-Blood Prince arguably the most important entry in the saga other than Deathly Hallows – Part 2 .

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2006) – 88%

The Triwizard Tournament is the backdrop for most of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ‘s action. The film is the first to question the duality in Harry’s life; what many see as luck and fortune, he sees as a potentially deathly burden. Goblet of Fire features the return of Lord Voldemort and introduces a scenery-chewing Ralph Fiennes in the role, further increasing the franchise’s thespian crew.

At first glance, Mike Newell might seem like an odd choice to direct a Potter film. However, like Columbus and Alfonso Cuarón before him, Newell brings a unique touch to the franchise, a sense of sophistication and self-seriousness that greatly benefits the story. Goblet of Fire includes possibly the darkest scene in the franchise; indeed, the sight of Harry clenching Cedric’s dead body was the clearest indication that Harry was officially abandoning childhood.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) – 90%

Cuarón had arguably the toughest job in the franchise: Taking what had been a children’s story and transitioning it into the more adult and dark territory that would characterize the Potter world going forward. Fortunately, the gifted Mexican director aced his assignment, delivering what many believe is the strongest entry in the saga.

Free from the worldbuilding that restrained previous and future entries, Prisoner of Azkaban instead focuses on Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s journey into adolescence. Of course, there’s still a complex and layered storyline at its core, but it’s intimate, more concerned with exploring and developing Harry’s psyche than with advancing Voldemort’s wicked plans. By revisiting Harry’s past and the trauma that shaped him, the film begins his journey into the reluctant hero he was always meant to be. Prisoner of Azkaban is darker, gloomier, and more mature, deftly handling themes that were new to the franchise. Yet, it’s also full of heart and purpose, giving Harry his most personal adventure.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011) – 96%

By the time Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 premiered in the summer of 2011, the franchise was already an indelible part of the zeitgeist. Ten years after the first film premiered, Deathly Hallows – Part 2 finally brought the story of The Boy Who Lived to an action-packed and bittersweet ending.

The film pulled no punches, delivering the thrills and wonder that fans expect from the saga’s last entry. However, it also rewarded its loyal audience with an emotional and powerful ending that wore its heart on its sleeve. Everything about the film lived up to fans’ sky-high expectations, and by the time Harry, Ron, and Hermione held hands after the Battle of Hogwarts, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. So what if the saga ended with a “happily ever after?” After 10 years, eight movies, and countless deaths, Harry and company earned themselves a break.

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Harry Potter movies ranked – every film from worst to best

What's magical and what's beastly...

Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, Emma Watson as Hermione Granger and Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter

Cameron K McEwan
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Over two decades ago, the Harry Potter book series telling the story of the boy who lived was transformed onto the big screen with unknown lead actors, a barrage of familiar faces from UK acting royalty and special effects galore

From day one, the films cast a magical spell over audiences around the globe who couldn’t stop discussing and debating the films even though the series came to end in 2011.

With a rebooted television series coming in a few years from Max, it looks like we’ll still be talking about these movies for years to come.

So, grab your wands and your Patronus (if you can!), and read on for our countdown of the Harry Potter films from worst to best.

Harry Potter films ranked

8. harry potter and the chamber of secrets.

Dobby clicking his fingers in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Kicking off the rundown is the second instalment in the series and last from director Chris Columbus. The 2002 movie, also the longest in the series (clocking in at over two hours and 40 minutes), introduced the much-loved character Dobby. At a time when CG characters came in for a bit of stick, the lovable Hogwarts house elf lifted the film above its slightly darker and more plodding scenes. Whilst certainly not bad, Chamber of Secrets is quite some way off the heady heights of its sequels.

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7. harry potter and the philosopher's stone / sorcerer's stone.

Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe in Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone

Chris Columbus had the unenviable task of introducing the world to his cinematic take on the already beloved series of books from author JK Rowling. But the Home Alone and Mrs Doubtfire director waved his magic wand, or camera at least, and created the cinematic universe millions would come to love.

6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Emma Watson stars in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1

Harry’s final book would be split into two, which was the style at the time, though many feel that perhaps, in hindsight, one epic movie would have sufficed. The second part is much-lauded but this opening salvo feels too bogged down in setting up the sensational climax.

5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, Imelda Staunton as Dolores Umbridge and Emma Watson as Hermione Granger in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

British director David Yates comes in from 2007 and sees the series out behind the camera. Yates, who continued with the Wizarding World franchise by helming the Fantastic Beasts films, kept up the mature tone set by its predecessor (higher up this list). Of course, any discussion around Order of the Phoenix has to mention Imelda Staunton’s performance as the you-love-to-hate-her Dolores Umbridge. A character Imelda herself described as a “bloody monster”.

4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

Fourth film in and a third director for the series. This 2005 gem was helmed by England’s very own Mike Newell (known for Four Weddings and a Funeral and Donnie Brasco), but this time things were very different for the Hogwarts gang.

Harry and his chums were growing up and, even from the marketing with its more subdued colours, you could tell this was a more adult affair. The innocent magical wonder of the preceding instalments has firmly gone and become super gritty.

Who can forget Cedric Diggory’s father howling in grief at his son’s death? A turning point in the series.

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3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Aka Harry Potter and the Full-Blown Puberty. This love potion is hot with hormones and (Tom) riddled with romance – not to mention Harry and Ginny’s secret kiss. A romcom with wizards and witches.

Elsewhere, Harry’s sixth year at Hogwarts saw the Death Eaters memorably mess up London and a much-loved character bites the big one during a shocking finale (if you hadn’t read the book, of course). The visuals were on point and, rather fittingly, the film was Oscar-nominated for its cinematography.

2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

And so HP fans around the world mourned as the final year at Hogwarts for our heroes came to an end. Undoubtedly, Warner Bros was mourning too as its cash cow came to an end – with this one raking in $1.34 billion (of course the Fantastic Beasts films would follow, less successfully, and there’s the aforementioned small screen reboot coming).

The final battle enthralled and the coupling-up satiated all those shippers around the world. For those who followed from the start, this finale was worth the wait and kept the magic bubbling in that cinematic cauldron for so many years.

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Emma Watson as Hermione Granger, Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter, David Thewlis as Remus Lupin and Gary Oldman as Sirius Black in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Given that director Alfonso Cuarón was known for films such as Y tu mamá también and the 1998 modern interpretation of Great Expectations (with Robert De Niro and Gwyneth Paltrow), the Spanish filmmaker did seem like an off-the-wall choice. But the results speak for themselves.

Harry's third year at Hogwarts introduces ‘bad guy’ and the titular prisoner, Sirius Black. Except, he’s a prisoner no more and he’s not really bad. With a franchise-stealing turn from Gary Oldman, a heavy dose of time-turning, and the introduction of Buckbeak, Prisoner of Azkaban moved the series up several gears.

Despite being roundly lauded by fans and audiences alike, its performance at the box office is actually the lowest in the series (unable to break $800 million). But many wondered what could have been had Cuarón been able to stay on for more outings.

Harry Potter movies and the entire Wizarding World collection are available to watch now on Sky Cinema.

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Every Harry Potter movie, ranked by A.V. Club review

We looked under every sorcerer’s stone and into every deathly hallow to find the highs and lows of cinema’s wizarding world.

Screenshots, from left to right: 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.

November 14 marks the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone , the Hollywood adaptation of the first book in J.K. Rowling’s almost inconceivably popular kid-lit fantasy series. Back then, the big question on everyone’s mind was whether the films could match the success of their source material—and maybe even if the first one would even prove successful enough to spawn a whole corresponding movie series. Which of course seems very quaint today, with the eighth and final Potter movie now a decade in our rearview mirror and the series now a holiday-season (and year-round cable-TV) perennial, despite the general cruddiness of both the Fantastic Beasts prequels and Rowling’s public remarks.

With hindsight, it’s of course possible to see a spectrum of quality in these quality-controlled all-ages blockbusters. Our own Noel Murray, in fact, offered a ranking of the whole series a few years ago. But how did The A.V. Club feel as the franchise was still in progress, before it dove into deathly hallows?

In honor of this upcoming anniversary, we’ve rounded up the contemporaneous reviews we wrote on each Potter installment and done our best to put them in order of general site preference. “Our best” because the Harry Potter franchise predates not just the A.V. Club ’s adoption of letter grades for reviews but also the tenure of almost everyone who writes for the website today. Plus, they were written by no less than three AVC staffers, each with presumably different opinions about the best and worst of this smash franchise. (What they all seem to agree on: None of these movies are great , exactly.)

Nonetheless, a pattern of fluctuating enthusiasm does reveal itself as you make your way through every AVC take on every new adventure at Hogwarts. Don’t tell apple-polishing Hermione, but the first couple, at least, might have struggled to earn a passing grade.

8. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets

The second Potter film is a chore. Like its predecessor, Chamber Of Secrets doesn’t so much adapt Rowling’s source material as joylessly transcribe it the screen, beat by beat. And it offers more of Chris Columbus’ weightless direction of CGI action and the slightly shaky performances by its young stars, who were still coming into their own as actors. What probably clinches its status as the lowlight of the series is the fact that it lacks even the sense of discovery of a new world you could find in Columbus’ mediocre original. The A.V. Club ’s Keith Phipps acknowledged that the film “works perfectly well as a cinematic corollary to J.K. Rowling’s adored children’s fantasy series,” while also cataloging the ways that it fails as anything other than fan service:

Try imagining a universe in which the Harry Potter series existed only in film form. Would audiences still find themselves transported by such thinly drawn characters? Would the imaginations still leap for the nonstop assault of impressively realized but creatively pedestrian special effects? And would the two-and-a-half-hours-plus trek toward an unmasking straight out of Scooby Doo seem quite so satisfying? So far, the series has relied on viewers’ familiarity with Rowling’s characters to fill in blanks that other movies would have to fill for themselves.

Check out Keith Phipps’ full ungraded review of Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets .

7. Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone

Warner Bros. took no chances bringing the first of the Potter books to multiplexes. The adaptation that launched the series is the very definition of a safe play, designed to give people what they wanted—which to say, what they already read and loved. Sorcerer’s Stone stays slavishly true to the events of the novel and stages them with a kind of sub-Spielbergian twinkle; The A.V. Club ’s Scott Tobias would later describe it as a “pop-up novelization.” His full review of the hugely successful first film was similarly withering:

Harry Potter begins to lose its grip during an expensive-looking “Quidditch” match, a game that’s like a cross between Rollerball and the pod race in The Phantom Menace , but is about as exciting as watching someone else play a video game. At 152 minutes, the film tries to squeeze in as much of the Rowling tome as possible, but the length grows more oppressive just as it should be gaining momentum for the finale. More Potter movies are in the pipeline, but the franchise seems exhausted halfway through the first.

Check out Scott Tobias’ full ungraded review of Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone . And for a second opinion pretty similar to the first—and issued years later—read Tom Breihan’s Popcorn Champs piece on the movie .

6. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1

In a decision likely made out of both necessity (because of the length of the novel) and greed, Warner Bros. opted to divide Rowling’s final Potter novel into two movies. That left a penultimate film that sometimes feels like very expensive wheel spinning—a downbeat hangout movie, trudging through soap operatic character work and exposition before the fireworks factory offered by the rousing final movie. Deathly Hallows: Part 1 has its fans—it’s a sleeper favorite among those who appreciate its melancholic detours and eccentric touches (like a Nick Cave waltz and an animated flashback). AVC critic Tasha Robinson is not among their ranks:

A long middle sequence of wandering (and grim, gloomy posing) is set against glorious, Lord Of The Rings -like natural backdrops, which unfortunately just heighten the stiffness. The pacing is endlessly aggravating: It’s just as well [director David] Yates didn’t attempt to cram the final book’s action into an eviscerated single film, and it’s admirable how he attempts to stretch out, to patiently build a mood and let audiences feel the characters’ directionless anxiety. But the result is a herky-jerky movie that alternates glacial brooding with unwieldy chunks of exposition and frenzied, rushed battles.

Check out Tasha Robinson’s full C review of Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 .

5. Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

The Order Of The Phoenix is notable mostly for who’s standing behind the camera, not what happens in front of it: This was the first film of the series directed by David Yates, who would go on to make every installment afterwards, as well as the two Fantastic Beasts spinoff films. Narratively, it’s very much a transitional installment, bridging the tragedies of book four and book six with a… not terribly memorable story. That was the perspective, anyway, of Scott Tobias’ review of Phoenix , the first Harry Potter movie eligible for a letter grade from us. Of course, it got a very A.V. Club B-:

Save for the thrilling opening sequence, there’s not much to remember about the film beyond Staunton ( Vera Drake ), who masks her bottomless malevolence behind a pasted-on patrician smile. During this transitional stage, Dumbledore’s Army and the Order Of The Phoenix prepare for bigger fights ahead—and presumably, more exciting movies, too.

Check out Scott Tobias’ full B- review of Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix .

4. Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire

While most of the Potter adaptations range from fairly faithful to rather exhausting in their fidelity, the fourth movie represents a rare case of the franchise making big cuts: In order to pack all the pertinent narrative of Rowling’s 700-page novel into a single movie, a whole lot of extraneous subplots had to go. It’s a choice Warner would probably make differently today, especially if it knew the money it’d later rake in by bifurcating Deathly Hallows . Nonetheless, as Tasha Robinson points out in her review, the choice lends Goblet Of Fire a breathless pace that’s hard to resist, even if it means sacrificing some of the world-building charms for once.

With its slam-bang-whoosh-giggle-gasp mentality, Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire could be a halfway decent thrill ride for newbies to the series. But its less-explanation, more-momentum mentality is really aimed squarely at the fans, who’d likely rather see more well-timed business from their favorite characters than a pile of dreary exposition and reminders about the story to date. For all its length, Goblet Of Fire speeds past all too quickly. But the real accomplishment may be that for all its brevity, it still feels like it tells the important parts of Rowling’s story.

Check out Tasha Robinson’s full ungraded review of Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire . And side note: This is Noel Murray’s favorite entry in the series, as named in his Run The Series run-through .

3. Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince

Yates’ second Potter film is one of the franchise’s most darkly confident and mature in theme, even before its grand downer of a climax. While there are arguably better films in the series (see the next two slides), this might be the one that best balances the magic of Rowling’s world with the hormonal moodiness and melodrama that would define later installments. Tasha Robinson mostly agreed in her positive review:

It takes a significant amount of investment in the Harry Potter world to make Half-Blood Prince relevant, let alone sensible; the film makes no concession to newbies, and thankfully spends virtually no time reiterating points already covered in previous installments. But those already involved will find that the series has matured much as the books did. This is the darkest, saddest, most sophisticated Harry Potter film yet.

Check out Tasha Robinson’s full B review of Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince .

2. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban

It’s hard to understate what a breath of fresh air—what a dose of real movie magic— The Prisoner Of Azkaban felt like when it hit theaters in the summer of 2004. Grabbing the reins of the franchise after the commercially successful but largely regrettable Chris Columbus entries, director Alfonso Cuarón reinvented the world of Hogwarts for the screen by investing in both the blooming adolescent spirit of the place and the danger of the forces swirling around it. (He also added some nifty time travel to the mix, though that’s obviously straight out of the Rowling source material.) The result courses with a style that Scott Tobias describes as “simultaneously darker and more whimsical than the previous films.” Today, it’s often still cited as the best film of the series, though Tobias’ unranked review is measured enough that we can’t quite put it at the top of this particular, site-aggregated ranking.

From the start, The Prisoner Of Azkaban taps into the neato fantasies that have inspired the Potter cult, but it never overemphasizes them, and it relegates many bits of magic to background noise. For the first time, the non-converted may actually see what all the fuss is about.

Check out Scott Tobias’ full ungraded review of Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban .

1. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2

The final Potter film is the consensus critical choice for the best of the series, and also the best-reviewed by The A.V. Club . One might argue that it’s all falling action—a race to the finish line that spends all its time blowing up Hogwarts instead of giving us one last tour of its pleasures. But there’s no denying that director David Yates and his accomplished young cast—who really grew into both their roles and their talents over the years–delivered the dramatic spectacle that diehards and casual fans alike were waiting for. It’s certainly the most… climactic film of the series. And officially, the most warmly regarded around these parts, thanks to Tasha Robinson’s largely glowing review:

This is the most epic of the Harry Potter movies, the one that finally dispenses with side-quests and open-ended plotlines and offers up all the final payoffs. That includes satisfying front-and-center roles for too-often-neglected subsidiary actors Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, and Matthew Lewis, as well as a gratifying variety of grand dramatic moments, executed with commitment and style. From an early sequence where Rickman stands in a high tower, coldly surveying the prison camp that Hogwarts has become to a late-film showdown that finds small comic moments among life-or-death conflict, it operates on an intense yet tonally lofty scale suitable for the final act of a series that’s held the world’s attention for more than a decade. Its principal cast members were hired as cute prepubescents and have grown impressively into their adult roles; with this installment, the series itself completes a similarly protracted and rewarding maturation.

Check out Tasha Robinson’s full B+ review of Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban . Echoing some of her sentiments is Tom Breihan, who wrote about the final film in the franchise in his Popcorn Champs column .

Movie Reviews

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''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" is a red-blooded adventure movie, dripping with atmosphere, filled with the gruesome and the sublime, and surprisingly faithful to the novel. A lot of things could have gone wrong, and none of them have: Chris Columbus' movie is an enchanting classic that does full justice to a story that was a daunting challenge. The novel by J.K. Rowling was muscular and vivid, and the danger was that the movie would make things too cute and cuddly. It doesn't. Like an "Indiana Jones" for younger viewers, it tells a rip-roaring tale of supernatural adventure, where colorful and eccentric characters alternate with scary stuff like a three-headed dog, a pit of tendrils known as the Devil's Snare and a two-faced immortal who drinks unicorn blood. Scary, yes, but not too scary--just scary enough.

Three high-spirited, clear-eyed kids populate the center of the movie. Daniel Radcliffe plays Harry Potter, he with the round glasses, and like all of the young characters he looks much as I imagined him, but a little older. He once played David Copperfield on the BBC, and whether Harry will be the hero of his own life in this story is much in doubt at the beginning.

Deposited as a foundling on a suburban doorstep, Harry is raised by his aunt and uncle as a poor relation, then summoned by a blizzard of letters to become a student at Hogwarts School, an Oxbridge for magicians. Our first glimpse of Hogwarts sets the tone for the movie's special effects. Although computers can make anything look realistic, too much realism would be the wrong choice for "Harry Potter," which is a story in which everything, including the sets and locations, should look a little made up. The school, rising on ominous Gothic battlements from a moonlit lake, looks about as real as Xanadu in " Citizen Kane ," and its corridors, cellars and great hall, although in some cases making use of real buildings, continue the feeling of an atmospheric book illustration. At Hogwarts, Harry makes two friends and an enemy. The friends are Hermione Granger ( Emma Watson ), whose merry face and tangled curls give Harry nudges in the direction of lightening up a little, and Ron Weasley ( Rupert Grint ), all pluck, luck and untamed talents. The enemy is Draco Malfoy ( Tom Felton ), who will do anything, and plenty besides, to be sure his house places first at the end of the year.

The story you either already know, or do not want to know. What is good to know is that the adult cast, a who's who of British actors, play their roles more or less as if they believed them. There is a broad style of British acting, developed in Christmas pantomimes, which would have been fatal to this material; these actors know that, and dial down to just this side of too much. Watch Alan Rickman drawing out his words until they seem ready to snap, yet somehow staying in character. Maggie Smith , still in the prime of Miss Jean Brodie, is Prof. Minerva McGonagall, who assigns newcomers like Harry to one of the school's four houses. Richard Harris is headmaster Dumbledore, his beard so long that in an Edward Lear poem, birds would nest in it. Robbie Coltrane is the gamekeeper, Hagrid, who has a record of misbehavior and a way of saying very important things and then not believing that he said them.

Computers are used, exuberantly, to create a plausible look in the gravity-defying action scenes. Readers of the book will wonder how the movie visualizes the crucial game of Quidditch. The game, like so much else in the movie, is more or less as I visualized it, and I was reminded of Stephen King's theory that writers practice a form of telepathy, placing ideas and images in the heads of their readers. (The reason some movies don't look like their books may be that some producers don't read them.) If Quidditch is a virtuoso sequence, there are other set pieces of almost equal wizardry. A chess game with life-size, deadly pieces. A room filled with flying keys. The pit of tendrils, already mentioned, and a dark forest where a loathsome creature threatens Harry but is scared away by a centaur. And the dark shadows of Hogwarts library, cellars, hidden passages and dungeons, where an invisibility cloak can keep you out of sight but not out of trouble.

During "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," I was pretty sure I was watching a classic, one that will be around for a long time, and make many generations of fans. It takes the time to be good. It doesn't hammer the audience with easy thrills, but cares to tell a story, and to create its characters carefully. Like " The Wizard of Oz ," " Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory ," "Star Wars" and "E.T.," it isn't just a movie but a world with its own magical rules. And some excellent Quidditch players.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone movie poster

Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

152 minutes

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter

Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley

Emma Watson as Hermione Granger

Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid

Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom

Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy

Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore

Maggie Smith as Prof. McGonagall

Alan Rickman as Prof. Snape

Ian Hart as Prof. Quirrell

John Cleese as Nick

Directed by

Chris Columbus
Steven Kloves

Based On The Novel by

J.K. Rowling

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Harry Potter Movies Ranked

Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, and Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, and Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

2. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Clémence Poésy, Robert Pattinson, and Stanislav Yanevski in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, and Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Michael Gambon, Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, and Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

5. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Rupert Grint, Matthew Lewis, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Bonnie Wright, and Evanna Lynch in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Eddie Redmayne, and Katherine Waterston in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

7. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis, Richard Harris, Rupert Grint, Daniel Radcliffe, and Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

8. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Rupert Grint, Toby Jones, Daniel Radcliffe, and Emma Watson in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

9. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Dan Fogler, William Nadylam, Alison Sudol, Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Claudia Kim, Zoë Kravitz, Ezra Miller, and Callum Turner in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)

10. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Jude Law, Dan Fogler, Mads Mikkelsen, William Nadylam, Alison Sudol, Eddie Redmayne, Jessica Williams, Ezra Miller, Victoria Yeates, and Callum Turner in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)

11. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

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Every 'Harry Potter' Movie, Ranked From Best To Worst By Fans

In the ever-expanding universe of J.K. Rowling's creation, fans have been treated to a cinematic journey that's as magical as the world of Hogwarts itself. From the enchanting beginnings at Diagon Alley to the epic battles against dark forces, each film offers a unique escape into a world where magic is real. Amid this spellbinding collection, certain flicks have stood out, earning their place as the best Harry Potter movies of all time. These are the films that have defined a generation, capturing the essence of the wizarding world and its unforgettable characters.

Our comprehensive list doesn't just stop at the main Harry Potter series, which gave us classics like Prisoner of Azkaban and The Sorcerer's Stone . We've also ventured into the expanding lore of the Fantastic Beasts universe, offering a broader view of Rowling's magical world. Whether you're a fan of the original series' charm or you've fallen for the new tales of magizoologist Newt Scamander, there's something here for everyone.

This magical compilation was put together by the ultimate Harry Potter nerds, painstakingly ranking each movie to ensure a definitive list. But the plot thickens – we didn't let these wizarding aficionados have all the fun. Potterheads far and wide are making their voices heard, casting votes that added an extra layer of fan-approved magic to our rankings. Now, the cauldron is in your hands. Jump into the list and let us know where you stand. Your vote is the spell that could sway the fate of your favorite films in the wizarding realm.

100 Facts You Didn't Know About Harry Potter

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the third film in the beloved Harry Potter saga, represents a significant turning point in the series, introducing a darker and more complex narrative. Daniel Radcliffe reprises his role as Harry Potter, who faces a new threat with the escape of Sirius Black (Gary Oldman), a notorious prisoner from Azkaban believed to be targeting Harry. Alongside him, his faithful friends Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) navigate a year filled with danger, revelations, and growth. Under the direction of Alfonso Cuarón, the film distinguishes itself with a more mature tone and visually engaging style, earning praise for its creative direction and character development. The film's excellence was recognized with multiple awards, including two BAFTA Awards. It also received a 90% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a testament to its critical and commercial success. Through its compelling storytelling and atmospheric depth, Prisoner of Azkaban has secured its place as a cornerstone of the Harry Potter film series.

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# 37 of 769 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 marks the epic conclusion of the Harry Potter saga, captivating audiences with its intense and emotionally charged narrative. In this final installment, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) continue their quest to destroy the Horcruxes - objects containing fragments of Voldemort's soul. Their journey leads them back to Hogwarts, setting the stage for the ultimate showdown between the forces of good and evil. Directed by David Yates, the film skillfully balances breathtaking action sequences with heartfelt moments, culminating in a satisfying end to the beloved series.

The movie received universal acclaim, highlighted by its visually stunning execution and powerful performances. It was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Art Direction, Best Makeup, and Best Visual Effects, and won numerous other accolades. On Rotten Tomatoes, it boasts an impressive score of 96%, a testament to its widespread critical and fan approval. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 not only concluded the story of a generation but also solidified its legacy as a masterpiece of fantasy cinema.

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# 151 of 185 on Movies With The Best Soundtracks

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone ushers viewers into the enchanting world of Hogwarts, where the young orphan Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) discovers his identity as a wizard on his 11th birthday. Guided by the half-giant Hagrid (Robbie Coltrane), Harry embarks on an extraordinary journey, attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He quickly befriends fellow students Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), forming a bond that becomes central to their adventures. Together, they uncover the mystery of the Sorcerer's Stone, which possesses the power to grant eternal life. Directed by Chris Columbus, this inaugural film beautifully sets the stage for the magical saga, combining wonder, danger, and the vibrancy of youth.

The film captured the hearts of audiences worldwide, receiving numerous awards and nominations, including three Academy Award nominations for Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Score. On Rotten Tomatoes, it boasts a high approval rating of 81%, underscoring its success among critics and fans alike. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone not only offers a captivating entry into the magical world but also lays the foundation for the epic tale that follows, establishing it as a beloved classic in the fantasy genre.

Dig Deeper... Things You Didn't Know About 'The Sorcerer's Stone' If You've Only Seen The Movie
# 24 of 769 on The Most Rewatchable Movies
# 4 of 113 on The Best Movies Of 2001

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Celebrated for its visually stunning cinematography and deeper emotional undertones, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince was applauded for successfully balancing dark themes with moments of humor and teenage romance. The film was recognized across various award platforms, notably receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography. It also scored highly with critics and audiences alike, earning an 84% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Praised for its storytelling and character development, this installment stands out as a critical and commercial success, setting the stage for the series' climactic conclusion. Through its compelling narrative and artistic achievements, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince captivates the essence of transition, both in its characters' lives and in the broader arc of the Harry Potter saga.

Dig Deeper... Behind-The-Scenes Stories From ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’
And Deeper... Things You Wouldn't Know About 'The Half-Blood Prince' If You've Only Seen The Movie
# 57 of 769 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire thrusts the wizarding world into the international spotlight with the Triwizard Tournament, a perilous and prestigious competition drawing participants from Europe's leading wizarding schools. Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), unexpectedly selected as a competitor, faces challenges that test his courage and skills, while the presence of Lord Voldemort grows ever more tangible. Alongside Harry, Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) navigate the complexities of friendship and adolescence, set against the backdrop of a darkening wizarding world. Directed by Mike Newell, the fourth installment in the series takes a dramatic turn, blending intense action with profound character arcs.

The film was lauded for elevating the series through its thematic depth and visual spectacle, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Art Direction. On Rotten Tomatoes, it stands with an 88% score, reflecting positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire marked a significant shift in the saga, introducing a more mature narrative that resonated with fans and critics, cementing its place as a pivotal chapter in the Harry Potter series.

Dig Deeper... Things You Didn't Know About 'The Goblet of Fire' If You've Only Seen The Movie
And Deeper... Magical Behind-The-Scenes Facts About Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire
# 46 of 769 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , the second chapter of the spellbinding series, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) returns to Hogwarts for his second year, amidst warnings of dark forces at play. Along with his friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson), Harry is thrust into a mystery involving the Chamber of Secrets, an ancient legend claiming the chamber houses a monstrous creature with the power to purge the school of those deemed unworthy to study magic. Directed by Chris Columbus, the film deepens the dark undercurrents of the wizarding world, intertwining magical whimsy with the looming threat of an unseen enemy.

Critically acclaimed for its special effects and more confident storytelling, the movie received several award nominations and wins, including a BAFTA nomination for Best Production Design. Its reception on Rotten Tomatoes reflects a solid score of 82%, underscoring the film's successful blend of suspense, mystery, and the enduring strength of its young heroes. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets not only continues the journey of its titular character but also expands the enchanting universe, enthralling audiences with new spells, creatures, and an ever-compelling tale of courage and friendship.

Dig Deeper... Things You Didn't Know About The Chamber Of Secrets
And Deeper... Things You Didn't Know About 'The Chamber of Secrets' If You've Only Seen The Movie
# 47 of 769 on The Most Rewatchable Movies

All The Harry Potter Movies, Ranked

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter as an adult

The Harry Potter franchise, for many individuals, was an integral part of their coming of age. Whether fans were the same age as Harry when he began his wizarding adventure, or a bit younger or older, the tale has amassed an army of fans with J.K. Rowling 's novels and a successful film franchise to boot. Now as fans are in the midst of the spinoff Fantastic Beasts franchise , they may question whether the Harry Potter movies are still as good as they remember.

The short answer is "yes," although adult fans who already know the major beats may want to pick and choose which classic movies to revisit, and which ones may not be quite as fun now that they're all grown. Harry Potter's tale is still great, but some of the movies definitely stand out as superior to others. One may think all the films are the same quality, but will quickly realize upon re-watch this is far from the case.

Before diving into this list, it's worth mentioning again this ranked list is for those who know the world of Harry Potter and have already seen the movies. Trying to watch the movies in the ranking they're given for the first time would be absolute madness and is not at all advised by me, or probably any other fan. Watch the whole series through first, then come back to this list and see if you agree with these favorites.

Harry Potter and the Chamber Of Secrets' Hermione, Ron and Harry

8. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets

Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets may have been cool as hell to experience back in the day, but nowadays, it's a huge time suck. The Harry Potter movie clocks in at just under 3 hours in length, and was one of the last attempts to try and adapt even minor details from the corresponding book of the same name. It drags on upon re-watch, especially for audiences who know how it ends.

It was fine for the time it was released and, as mentioned, none of these movies are necessarily "bad." When measured up against its peers, however, there are far more engaging scenes to watch in other movies compared to Ron navigating a giant game of Wizard's Chess. Just remember that Harry unknowingly got Voldemort's diary, and ended up saving his future wife from a Basilisk while also unintentionally destroying a Horcrux. As for the rest, well, it can largely be forgotten.

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1 cast face bad guys

7. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 isn't just an awkward title, it's a movie with an awkward ending. While the intention of splitting the final book into two separate movies was the right idea from Warner Bros., it required this Harry Potter movie to essentially end at the middle point in the story.

Now, that middle point was Voldemort's stealing of the Elder Wand from Dumbledore's corpse, which was pretty dark and crazy. Still, in the context of what's to come, Harry Potter movie lovers may find themselves a bit too anxious to suffer through all of the depressing parts of this movie knowing the real action is laying in wait in Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 . As a consolation, it's one of the best in that it made Part 2 a stronger film, so there's that!

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Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix's Harry, Ron And Hermione

6. Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

Much like in the books, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was the Harry Potter movie where the main cast "grew up." Everyone in the cast dealt with their own issues and the fact the magical world at large was unwilling to admit Voldemort had truly returned. This was also the directorial debut of David Yates , who would direct the rest of the movies from then on.

So, what makes this Harry Potter movie a cut above the two previous entries? Beyond the fact the general story shifts to a more adult tone, Dolores Umbridge was one of the best villains in the franchise. It helped that the actress who played her, Imelda Staunton, was a near-perfect casting that really encapsulated what made the headmaster so damn irksome and evil. Watch for Umbridge, stay for the heart-wrenching exit of Sirius Black.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince's Hagrid looking sad

5. Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince

At the risk of proving my point with its middling status on this list, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is one of the more underrated titles of the franchise. It's forced to navigate a sort of sexual awakening amongst the characters, and also shows the death of Albus Dumbledore all in the span of two and a half hours, which sounds like a damn near impossible task.

Yet Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince manages to do both well enough, and may even convince some audiences to feel a sense of pity for Draco Malfoy, who never deserved any prior. The Slytherin goes through quite the gauntlet of emotions in this adventure, which is somewhat overshadowed by other events, but tragic to see nonetheless. It's a performance Tom Felton can be proud of, provided he ever re-watches the Harry Potter movies down the road.

Hermione's big hair in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

4. Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone

It's the Harry Potter movie that started it all, and just as enjoyable to watch today as it was back then. Perhaps it's the nostalgia of reliving the movie that showed Hogwarts for the first time, or the wonderful directing of Chris Columbus ? There's also that awesome iconic scene of Hagrid's arrival to tell Harry he's a wizard, which remains one of the most memorable moments in this franchise.

Really, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is the Harry Potter movie that set the standard for all of the films that followed. It's still very much a kids film, but there's enough maturity to it that older fans won't groan and feel bored living through it once again. At least, not as much as they would while watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , and watching Ron Weasley freak out about spiders.

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban teens Ron, Harry and Hermione

3. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban

This is hands down the best of the young Harry Potter movies, and a lot of that is credit to Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuaron . He expertly edited down the story into a masterful adaptation , which was a challenge the two prior films balked at. It was a great decision that effectively set a standard for the movie world of Harry Potter: that all events directly affecting Harry stayed, and the rest got shuffled out.

It also helps that Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban marked a significant change in the main cast. Each actor came into their own as actors, and it was the first film in which Michael Gambon took on the role of Albus Dumbledore. There's so much that is different about Azkaban compared to the first two films it could've caused some massive backlash, but instead, it created one of the best Harry Potter movies of the whole franchise.

Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire dining hall candles, Harry and his glasses

2. Harry Potter And The Goblet of Fire

It was quite a tall order for a film to tackle Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire , which featured one of the biggest events to have ever happened at Hogwarts, The Triwizard Tournament. The scale of the film still feels massive upon re-watch, and while the movie left out a good deal of material from the book, it nailed the whole scope and majesty of the tournament rather well.

It's still so satisfying to watch, and fun right up until Cedric Diggory's corpse flops in front of the unassuming crowd at the final event. Some would argue the Harry Potter movie somewhat undersells Voldemort's return with too much emphasis on the tournament, but things get so dark after Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire , fans revisiting should appreciate the final truly lighthearted adventure in the franchise right before everything goes to shit.

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows; Part 2, does Harry have a mustache?

1. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2

As mentioned earlier, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 1 took the bullet so that this Harry Potter movie could get a lion's share of the glory. It offered a non-stop thrill ride that led up to the final showdown between Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort. We even got a scene where Mrs. Weasley called Bellatrix a bitch; it's just all so fantastic!

It's not often that fans of a franchise should hit up the final film first when contemplating a re-watch, but starting from the beginning may cause a burn out before hitting this gem. Hit this one up early because it's a great way to reflect on how far the franchise came leading to that grand finale. The book helped, but the movies really brought a fantastical and tragic final sequence together in a way imaginations couldn't quite do justice.

Related: The Harry Potter Cast: A Look Back Then And Now

Those who disagree with the ranking or just want to sing praises of the wonderful Harry Potter universe can do so in the comment section below. Make your opinion heard and then hop over to the other sections on CinemaBlend for all the latest news in movies, television, and pop culture.

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Mick Joest is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend with his hand in an eclectic mix of television goodness. Star Trek is his main jam, but he also regularly reports on happenings in the world of Star Trek, WWE, Doctor Who, 90 Day Fiancé, Quantum Leap, and Big Brother. He graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Journalism and a minor in Radio and Television. He's great at hosting panels and appearing on podcasts if given the chance as well.

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All the Harry Potter films, ranked from best to worst

From ‘The Philosopher’s Stone’ to ‘Fantastic Beasts’, we break down all the movies set in JK Rowling’s wizarding world

The Harry Potter movies and their ‘Fantastic Beasts’ spin-off series have made buckets of dosh at the box office but rarely bother the critics’ best-of-year lists. But while some films in the series can be easily dismissed (‘Chamber of Secrets’, we’re looking at you), others deserve to be taken seriously – not just for the attention-grabbing design and special effects, but for their brilliant character work and razor-sharp storytelling. To that end, we’ve ranked the series in best-to-worst order.

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Harry Potter films, ranked from best to worst

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Family and kids

The one with... The time-turner, the Patronus charm, the werewolf, the Whomping Willow and the Ian Brown cameo.

The weakest of JK Rowling’s books became the best of the Potter movies. Getting ‘Gravity’ director Alfonso Cuarón behind the camera was a masterstroke: his eye for visual detail resulted in the most immersive film of the series. The performances are natural, the sense of time passing is weirdly affecting and the scary scenes feel like ‘The Evil Dead’ reimagined for BBC teatime. The result might be the best kids’ film of the century – so far.

Hero of the hour This is the one where Hermione punches Draco Malfoy in the face. So it’s her, obviously.

2. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Action and adventure

The one with… Jim Broadbent, Inferi (the wizarding world’s take on zombies), flashbacks, dead spiders and a very long fall from a very high place.

The loosest and most charmingly laid-back of the films, ‘Half Blood Prince’ is sedate and very sweet: Aragog’s funeral is both hilarious and heartbreaking. The plot rambles a bit, but it all comes together for that thunderous finale in the cave, followed by one very nasty shock that we won’t spoil for Potter newbies (if such a person is out there).

Hero of the hour Dumbledore, for drinking all that crazy-making water and… other stuff.

3. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

The one with… The Triwizard tournament, Robert Pattinson, Jarvis Cocker and the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

The ‘Rocky’ of the Harry Potter movies, as our hero is entered into the Triwizard tournament and must do magical battle with the best of the best from two European wizarding schools (you wouldn’t get that post-Brexit). It’s all fun and games until someone loses a hand, and someone else a life.

Hero of the hour Beautiful, gentle and doomed, it’s no wonder Cedric Diggory became the ultimate Potter geek’s pin-up.

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

The one with… Flashbacks, flash-forwards, weird death dreams and one humungous battle.

The final showdown, as Voldemort’s forces mass outside Hogwarts and Harry’s gang lead a valiant rear-guard effort. This is the most blockbuster-y of the films, and there are times when the special effects threaten to overwhelm the human drama. But the climax is thrilling, from the broomstick chase through the blazing Room of Requirement to the ultimate, sparks-flying magical duel.

Hero of the hour Neville Longbottom swings a sword, and a legend is born. Special mention to Severus Snape for tragic heroism.

5. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

The one with… The new cast, the New York setting, the niffler, No-Majs and Obscuruses (Obscuri?).

Decent novelists don’t necessarily make good screenwriters, but JK Rowling’s first original script turned out just fine. It may not scrape the heights of peak Potter but this was a confident start to an all-new wizarding franchise. Eddie Redmayne is a twitchy delight as magical zoologist Newt Scamander, there’s some smart digs at modern politics and the only bum note is struck by Johnny Depp’s late arrival as dark wizard Grindelwald.

Hero of the hour Newt’s loveable, cake-obsessed sidekick Kowalski (Dan Fogler), the first major muggle (or No-Maj) character in Rowling’s series.

6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

The one with… Professor Umbridge, Dumbledore’s Army, the hall of prophecies and the attack of the Death Eaters.

The longest book in the series was heavily pruned for this streamlined movie, and the result is very entertaining but not exactly memorable – it feels like everyone’s just waiting for the big battle to kick off. Thank the magical Gods, then, for Imelda Staunton, bringing a hard edge of deliciously spiteful, Thatcher-esque cruelty to the fluffy-but-evil Dolores Umbridge.

Hero of the hour Villain rather than hero, perhaps, but Umbridge is by far the most fun thing here.

7. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)

The one with… Platform 9¾, the Sorting Hat, the three-headed dog and our first taste of Quidditch.

This is where it all began – but in retrospect, the first film is chiefly notable for how young, sweet and chubby-cheeked everyone looks. The script recreates just about every scene in JK Rowling’s book with trudging literal-mindedness, and the plot doesn’t go anywhere very exciting. That said, the special effects are inventive and the supporting cast of veteran British thesps are a joy.

Hero of the hour For ushering Harry into his new life and delivering the series’ most memorable line, it must be the mighty Hagrid.

8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

The one with… A confusing number of lockets, snitches, wands and cloaks and an awful lot of loitering within tents.

It’s always a good idea to depict the calm before the storm, but said calm isn’t usually this dull. ‘Deathly Hallows Part 1’ is all scene-setting for the grand finale: a dour, downbeat and at times downright boring road movie as Harry, Ron and Hermione go on the lam and end up bickering in a wood for hours.

Hero of the hour For being appropriately grumpy and rescuing Harry from a puddle, man of the match has to be Ron Weasley.

9. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

The one with… Kenneth Branagh, the basilisk, Tom Riddle’s diary, loads of tedious faffing about.

The worst of the series by a country mile, ‘Chamber of Secrets’ is two hours and 54 minutes of ropey acting, lengthy exposition, awful special effects, more exposition, awkward ‘jokes’, impenetrable plot twists and yet more exposition. If you’re new to the series, just skip this one and read the Wikipedia entry instead (or better yet, the book).

Hero of the hour It says something that the liveliest character in the whole thing is a flying Ford Anglia.

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Spanning sword and sorcery, romance, animation, action and more – here are 50 of the best fantasy films.

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Every Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Movie, Ranked

As a Ravenclaw, I have very strong opinions on all of the films in the Harry Potter series.

The Harry Potter movies — and the books that preceded them — played a huge role in my childhood. The first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone , came out when I was 10, and my family read it aloud together almost every night. Before long, I developed unique voices for each of the characters, solidifying my place as the de facto reader when we gathered in front of the fireplace to spend some time in Harry's magical world.

Here's my highly subjective, incredibly opinionated ranking, with some help from Rotten Tomatoes' fan base in case you don't trust my opinion alone. If there's anyone left who has yet to see the movies, it should go without saying there are spoilers ahead.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

The Crimes of Grindelwald falls as flat a first-year wizarding student off an out-of-control broom. It's full of expository dialogue, unearned emotion, cheesy effects, and a world with all of the nuance of Crabbe and Goyle. Even diehard Potterheads can't stomach this one, and the Rotten Tomatoes scores reflect that: a dismal 37% from critics and 55 from fans.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

I'll just come right out and say it: It's not a Harry Potter movie. Sure, there are mystical beasts, impossible feats, and plenty of the confusion that results when the Muggle and magical worlds collide. The costumes and sets are gorgeous, the storyline has some intrigue, and the beasts themselves are pretty cute, too. Taken on its own, the film still earns a respectable 74% from Rotten Tomatoes critics and 79 from fans. But if you're looking for a return to the feeling you got from seeing your favorite Harry Potter heroes onscreen, this isn't it.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

harry potter movies - harry potter and the deathly hallows

The Deathly Hallows films bookend the Harry Potter movies franchise for good reason: the second part feels like a finale and the first like a prelude. That's natural, because part one has a lot of set-up to do. And because the book has so much going on, the movie has no choice but to streamline some of the subplots. That leaves the film feeling a little flat, a bit unfinished, and sort of like a stepping stone before the big finale. Rotten Tomatoes critics agree , giving it a 77% to fans' 85. Get some popcorn and watch both Deathly Hallows movies back-t0-back for the best experience.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Here's the thing about Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix : Have you seen the size of the book? Cramming a tome like that into one movie is a serious feat, and this is the shortest Harry Potter film to boot. Some of the nuances of the book's gathering darkness are tough to capture on film; Dolores Umbridge can come off as cartoonish, while Dumbledore's Army doesn't inspire as much excitement onscreen as it does on the page. But it's far from a flop, with an 81% fan score and a 78 from Rotten Tomatoes' experts .

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

The first of the Harry Potter movies had pretty big expectations to meet. And at the end of the day, it's a movie about an 11-year-old wizard so yes, it's going to feel like a kids' flick . That's because it is. But just like reading the books over and over again hits me right in the feels, so does Harry's first foray onto the big screen. It gets nostalgia points from me, my fellow fans, and Rotten Tomatoes critics , who gave it an 81% rating to fans' 82.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

The Chamber of Secrets holds a special place in my heart, as the first of the Harry Potter movies that really captured my affection. It still holds up, if only for nostalgia's sake. It's darker than the first installment, with more magical excitement and sass from its tweenage stars. Even as an adult, parseltongue still sends shivers up my spine. Rotten Tomatoes critics and fans both agree, giving the film an 83 and 80% score, respectively.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Measurably darker than some of its previous installments, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince sees Voldemort's reign of terror continue to creep past even the previously safe haven of Hogwarts. But amidst the horror, our heroes' burgeoning love interests provide some light. Anyone who's ever been a teenager finds themselves nodding along as they clash over who gets the girl (or guy), proving that love may not always win, but it's sometimes a pretty great distraction. Rotten Tomatoes critics loved it for that reason, with an 83% approval score and a 78 from fans.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

In this fourth installment of the Harry Potter movies, both the characters themselves and the filmmaking starts to grow up, grappling with not only the dark forces at play in their world but their own teenage impulses . Who can forget the first stirrings of love that emerge when the other tournament contestants arrive, not to mention Ron's iconic dress robes? But there's plenty of darkness here, too. The tournament's tasks balance fanciful magic with believable effects, which contributed to Rotten Tomatoes critics giving it an 88% and fans a 74.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

With the introduction of the spooky dementors, delightfully weird Hogsmead, creepily mysterious Sirius Black, and of course, the ethereal patronuses, this third Harry Potter installment has it all. True confession: Azkaban was always my least favorite of the series, but the movie won me over with sheer visual prowess. And both critics and fellow fans agree, giving it a 90 and 86% Rotten Tomatoes score , respectively.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

The Harry Potter series ends on a high note with this visually gorgeous, powerfully acted, and of course, edge-of-your-seat finale. The film splits the final book into two, culminating in the ultimate battle between good and evil . And sure, we might love it so much because it's the last hurrah in a series that's captured our imaginations for over a decade. But hey, that's still worth something. Rotten Tomatoes critics gave it a 96% rating and audience gave it a 89%, and it's easy to see why.

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Every Harry Potter (And Fantastic Beasts) Movie Ranked

Few film franchises are as downright magical as Harry Potter and the surrounding Wizarding World. The classic adventures of Harry, Ron and Hermione, plus the ongoing exploits of Newt Scamander, have become generation-shaping fantasy favourites, providing thrills, charm and comfort for both new and returning viewers.

From Hogwarts to The Burrow, Diagon Alley to Hogsmeade, the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films create a world that viewers can get lost in time and time again, packed with mystery-fuelled adventures, a loveable cast of witches and wizards (often populated with British acting legends), and epic good vs. evil showdowns.

But, what is the best Harry Potter film? Which movies passed their NEWTs, and which need to go back for remedial potions lessons? Team Empire assembled a crack team of aurors, magizoologists and Hogwarts professors to rank every film under the Wizarding World umbrella, voting for the most enchanting entries in the saga. Here’s the official order (of the phoenix).

11) Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald

If it's not a total write-off, the second Fantastic Beasts proved disappointingly lacklustre. Eddie Redmayne still brings bumbling charm to unconventional hero Newt Scamander, there's a welcome (if all-too-brief) return to Hogwarts, and a top addition in Jude Law 's magnetic young Dumbledore. Oh, and fleeting glimpses of baby Nifflers. But the real crime here is a lack of incident, Rowling's screenplay letting the wheels spin for too long as Johnny Depp makes his debut proper as wizard-supremacist baddie Gellert Grindelwald. The invocation of Wizarding Paris is grey and murky, a family tree twist proves both confusing and uncinematic, and one hero's surprise turn to the dark side feels desperately unearned. Still, in its closing minutes, Crimes Of Grindelwald delivers a shocking twist that should effectively sets up Fantastic Beasts 3 .

10) Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them

Without Hogwarts, the first Fantastic Beasts lacks the cosy familiarity of the main Potter saga. But it has its delights – introverted magizoologist Newt Scamander is a very different kind of leading man, one who prefers empathy to traditional acts of heroism, and Rowling's screenplay strikes up a fun new foursome with Tina and Queenie Goldstein and muggle baker Jacob Kowalski. The beasts themselves are cute too – the gold-pilfering Niffler and size-shifting Occamy proving particular favourites – though the film finds itself caught between being a zippy standalone adventure and the launching pad for a bigger, darker franchise arc. The Jazz Age New York setting doesn't quite dazzle as it should, and the demise of Colin Farrell 's Percival Graves to make way for Johnny Depp's Grindelwald remains a disappointing downgrade. Still, Rowling provides a welcome thematic link to Potter in Ezra Miller 's Credence Barebone, another magical orphan growing up without the love he deserves – with more dangerous consequences.

9) Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore

Secrets Of Dumbledore had a tough job: the first Fantastic Beasts film out since J.K. Rowling became a controversial cultural figure, it also had cast departures and other tabloid troubles to overcome. Whilst it may not have set the box office alight, it's the strongest Beasts film so far – co-writer Steve Kloves helped develop a more cohesive, action-filled plot, Mads Mikkelsen is a major upgrade as the villainous Grindelwald, and it gave Jude Law's Dumbledore, arguably the best single part of the franchise, much more to do. Plus, the mystical Qilin might just take the crown for the most adorable fantastical creature yet? A match for any of the _Potter_s it ain't, but it's a solid threequel that sets the stage nicely for a fitting finale to the second Wizarding World saga.

8) Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets

Just like its predecessor, Chamber Of Secrets is full of kiddie charm. Whether it's the flying Ford Anglia, the arrival of Dobby, or Kenneth Branagh 's gloriously vainglorious Gilderoy Lockhart, it revels in all the fun of JK Rowling's second Potter novel – to a fault. The only real mark against Chamber Of Secrets is its mammoth length, clocking in at an unwieldy 160 minutes, bogged down as near every narrative detour in the book (the Deathday Party aside) gets indulged. Notably, it was the last film in the series to hew quite so slavishly to the source material. Still, Hogwarts has never felt warmer, the Chamber (and Basilisk) itself is impressively spooky, and we get Jason Isaacs sneering it up as Lucius Malfoy.

Harry Potter And The Philosopheru2019s Stone

7) Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone

Chris Columbus doesn't get enough credit, especially for his opening Potter movie. He set the template right here with Philosopher's Stone , conjuring Rowling's vivid world on the screen with loving care, attention, and child-like wonder. This is, appropriately, the most Amblin-esque Potter movie – one that captures the joy, the wish fulfilment, and, yes, the magic of a story about an unloved orphaned boy discovering he has hidden power and worth. And sure, the kids aren't total thesps, but the central trio of Daniel Radcliffe , Rupert Grint and Emma Watson are really sweet as Harry, Ron and Hermione. Right from the very beginning, Columbus gets so much right – the feeling of Hogwarts, the gleaming red sheen of the Hogwarts Express, the first trip to Diagon Alley – all sealed off with a lush John Williams score. The result is a film that's warmer than a roaring fire in the Gryffindor common room, a cosy and colourful foundation for everything to come.

6) Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 1

Yes, it's the one with all the camping. But what Deathly Hallows Part 1 lacks in major incident, it makes up for with atmosphere – this is the most textured Potter movie, one afforded rare breathing space after the breakneck pacing of the last few entries, with plenty of time for characterisation. It's a rare example where splitting a book into two makes for a better adaptation – with that added runtime you really feel the futility of Harry, Ron and Hermione's unenviable quest, alone in the British countryside and unsure of exactly what to do next. Like the book, it suffers slightly without the narrative structure of a Hogwarts school year, but in pitching our central trio into the wilderness it has a wide-open epic quality that no other Potter film possesses. Plus, the animated Tale Of The Three Brothers sequence is gorgeously gothic, the Polyjuice Potion-enhanced Ministry break-in is loads of fun, and the Elder Wand finale makes for an eerie, epic cliffhanger.

5) Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince

The penultimate Potter story – and the final Hogwarts-centric instalment – balances out the series' increasing darkness, as Voldemort rises back to power, with a rom-com-infused lightness as Harry, Ron and Hermione head into full-on hormonal adolescence. It makes for a slightly awkward mix at times, but there's still plenty to enjoy – Half-Blood Prince is almost a Hogwarts greatest hits set, luxuriating in Professor Slughorn's potions classes, more Quidditch matches, lusty exchanges in the Gryffindor Common Room, and the mystery of what exactly Draco Malfoy is up to in the Room Of Requirement. If the book's brilliant House Of Gaunt chapters are skipped over, director David Yates does a decent, if slightly rushed, job of the cave setpiece – the most spine-tinglingly eerie sequence of perhaps the entire book series – and that big climactic death is genuinely affecting. Minus 10 House Points, though, for the murky brown colour grading that aims for moody and ends up rendering the whole film a tad muddy.

4) Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

For the first half of the Potter saga, the Wizarding World marks an escape from Harry's miserly muggle life. But in Order Of The Phoenix , the first of his six (to date) films in the series, director David Yates collided the ordinary and magical worlds with thrilling results – the moment Harry and several Order members fly past London's Houses Of Parliament on broomsticks remains exhilarating. Michael Goldenberg's screenplay (the sole Potter script not adapted by Steve Kloves) takes the longest and most internal Potter book and turns it into a pacy adventure – one that expands the world gorgeously with the introduction of the Ministry Of Magic, that has a rebellious spirit in the creation of Dumbledore's Army, and boasts the series' most spectacular wizarding duel as Dumbledore and Voldemort duke it out in the final reel. Plus, Imelda Staunton is perfect as Dolores Umbridge – a pastel-pink bureaucratic baddie who's perhaps more hissable than You Know Who himself. Keeping what's necessary and stripping away the rest, Order Of The Phoenix is a top adaptation – even if we could really do without Grawp.

3) Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2

It was all leading to this – and the final Potter film did not disappoint. Aside from the thrilling dragon-bound Gringotts escape in the first act, the majority of Part 2 centres around the Battle Of Hogwarts – the series' grandest-scale wizarding brawl in which hordes of dark forces descend on the castle, our beloved heroes are forced to fight back (in some cases to the death), and Harry, Ron and Hermione desperately search for the final Horcruxes and Hallows. A few bungled beats aside (Molly Weasley's big "not my daughter, you bitch!" moment feels thrown away), Deathly Hallows Part 2 is grand, mythical fantasy storytelling – and from Snape's story to Neville's heroic deed, it's not just Harry who gets the big moments. Unlike most Potter films, it could even do with being a few minutes longer, with some beloved characters killed abruptly off-screen. But for the most part, it's pure magic.

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban

It's not just the fact that it's based on one of the very best – and uniquely Voldemort-free – Potter books that makes Prisoner Of Azkaban so good. It's also that incoming director Alfonso Cuarón so exquisitely shakes up the look and feel that Chris Columbus established in the first two movies, injecting flair, quirks and an impish sense of humour into Hogwarts and its inhabitants. The genius device of Hermione's Time-Turner makes for a twisty, brilliantly structured final act, helping it stand out from the wand battles of other instalments – and the introduction of Sirius Black, the only living family Harry has left, provides an effective emotional strand that carries on to the fourth and fifth films, and beyond.

1) Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire

The fourth Potter film is the most exciting of the lot – easily the most action-packed, with the Triwizard Tournament providing a parade of epic set-pieces. Dragons! Mer-people! A floppy-haired R-Pattz ! Goblet Of Fire has it all, delivering a string of action spectaculars, each with its own distinct identity, at regular intervals. Four Weddings director Mike Newell has fun too with the romantic entanglements – cranking up the melodrama with the hormone-fuelled Yule Ball and Harry's crush on Cho Chang. And then there's that pivotal finale, the graveyard rebirth of Voldemort, that sets in motion everything to come in the final four films – a chilling sequence fraught with very real threat, Ralph Fiennes utterly menacing in his debut as the snake-faced uber-villain. Bonus points, too, for Brendan Gleeson who is impeccably cast as Mad-Eye Moody. The key disappointment remains that infuriating cutaway from the Quidditch World Cup match after so much build-up – but there are plenty of other action scenes to make up for it. This is the point that Potter began to grow up, without leaving the magic behind – the pivot on which the whole series hinges. In bridging the adventure stories of the early half of the saga with the Voldemort-centric threat of the later films, Goblet Of Fire remains the ultimate Harry Potter movie.

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Every Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movie, ranked

Hint: the bleaker, the better.

In the fantastical world of Harry Potter , there's a convenient Sorting Hat to determine which student goes into what house. In the real world, however, fans don't have such an oracle for the most pressing question of all: What are the best Harry Potter movies, and which ones are nastier than a vomit-twinged Bertie Botts Every Flavor Bean?

These kinds of fan debates can make you feel madder than the average Azkaban inmate, so EW decided to step in. We revisited every Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movie and sorted them all into a definitive ranking. Did your favorite film come out on top? Grab your broomstick and come find out!

11. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)

Yes, it's official... Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is at the bottom of the barrel when it comes to Harry Potter movies. And not for innovating any new ways to disappoint us, but rather by phoning in the weakest plot of the bunch. Though in terms of visuals, "there might not be a more gorgeous-looking movie" released in 2022, writes EW's critic . Sadly, that doesn't change the fact that instead of focusing on Grindelwald (as the title promises), co-writer J.K. Rowling should have worked some magic to conjure a "fantastic plot and where to find it."

This film reveals Rowling's present limitations as a storyteller in several distinct and frustrating ways. You could basically sum this movie up in one sentence: "Grindelwald ( Johnny Depp ) has escaped, and we need to stop him." But that simple concept plays out across 134 minutes that feel like a lifetime, as every other scene is crammed with things that add some lore but do absolutely nothing to move the narrative forward. It genuinely seems as if Rowling thought fans would be more interested in confusing world-building and magical trivia than… you know… interesting characters and engaging stories. But the true magic of the original Harry Potter movies is the dynamic between Harry ( Daniel Radcliffe ), Ron ( Rupert Grint ), and Hermione ( Emma Watson ) — and the Fantastic Beasts films have nothing similar to offer. Worst of all, we never see Grindelwald face justice for the worst crime of all: that ugly haircut that Depp rocks throughout the entire film.

Where to watch Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald : Max

10. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is the most recent (and probably final) entry in the spinoff franchise. The film seemingly exists to answer an unfortunate question: What if a movie had all the seriousness of The Prisoner of Azkaban but none of the intrigue? As EW's critic points out in her review , director David Yates ended up giving us a "disconcertingly adult" movie that improves upon its predecessor while greatly suffering from that problem that has plagued this spinoff franchise from the beginning: It's "born from a fantastic universe, but still searching for a magic of its own."

If you appreciate the series for the sumptuous scenery and actors who know how to chew it, there is certainly some enjoyment to be had here. The costuming and set design is on point, and returning actor Jude Law is redeemable here as Dumbledore. Then there's the creepy energy of Grindelwald courtesy of newbie Mads Mikkelsen (who replaced Johnny Depp from the previous films following Depp's libel lawsuit ). Unfortunately, these two are brought down by the same problem that star Eddie Redmayne keeps facing. Simply put, the script and direction don't match the talent of the actors, and though we wish it weren't so, there is no magic spell to fix bad storytelling.

Where to watch Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore : Max

9. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

Back before Warner Bros. Discovery threw their hands in the air and decided to simply reboot the Harry Potter films as a television series , Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was the first real effort to expand the franchise. The good news is that it's easily the best of the Fantastic Beasts films — but the bad news is that the bar is astoundingly low. As EW's critic remarks , the movie feels "oddly lifeless" in part due to everyone besides Eddie Redmayne giving "surprisingly flat" performances, and partly because the director (returning veteran David Yates) had to deal with "the thinness of the source material."

Ironically, though, the rest of the Fantastic Beasts franchise would likely have been more successful if it followed in this movie's footsteps. Many modern Harry Potter fans enjoy its simple concept: A shy wizard must collect wayward beasts as if they are Pokémon, which provides a convenient narrative excuse to travel to new locations (America, for example) and meet new people. If its sequels had focused on Newt Scamander's (Redmayne) misadventures, they might have been more fun. However, later chapters are bogged down by the focus shifting to the rise of Grindelwald (who has confusingly been played by three actors) and the involvement of Credence Barebone, a troubled young man played by Ezra Miller , whose talents are not enough to keep their every scene from slowing the movie to a crawl.

Where to watch Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them : Max

8. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is most certainly not a bad film, but when you rewatch it without the beneficial lens of nostalgia, it's clear this freshman effort isn't quite up to snuff compared to the later movies. We can partially blame the limitations of the source material — the first Harry Potter book is the shortest, giving director Chris Columbus relatively less to go on. And as EW's critic noted , we end up with a "long, dense, special-effects-laden movie, crammed with subplots" that offer "many charms, but few surprises."

Fortunately, the cast manages to outweigh the shortcomings of the story, visuals, and even the subject material. It's clear from the start that pairing young performers with older stars such as Robbie Coltrane (a.k.a. Hagrid) is pure magic on the screen, and by the time Rowling's concepts get appropriately more complex, stars young and old deftly share the task of bringing them to life. In the meantime, it's a joy to revisit the film that kicked off a franchise for all of its simple charms, including the sublime performance of Richard Harris as Dumbledore.

Where to watch Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone : Max

7. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

It feels a tad churlish to place Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets so low on this list, but the simple fact is that this movie (which is still worth a rewatch for any Muggle looking for a fun evening) is exactly what it appears to be: A more assured follow-up film from young actors and returning director Chris Columbus, all of whom are learning more about the best ways to bring Hogwarts and its residents to life. EW's critic put it best : This is a film that "still doesn't quite trust itself as a freestanding cinematic creation." With that said, it nevertheless manages to improve upon its predecessor, "not only because the director and his team are more confident about what they can do, but also because they're less uptight and defensive about what they can't."

And for everything that seems a bit dodgy (let's face it, Dobby suffers from some very iffy CGI), there's something equally or exceedingly charming. At the top of that list is seasoned actor and director Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart, a fraudulent fop who lights up every scene he's in. It's also fun to see the Hogwarts cast grow, even if it sometimes goes in odd directions (we love Moaning Myrtle, but did anyone have "toilet ghost" on their bingo card?). More importantly, this is the first film that begins to point Harry and his friends toward a more sinister plot, laying the groundwork for Voldemort's lore and the eventual final confrontation between He Who Shall Not Be Named and The Boy Who Lived.

Where to watch Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets : Max

6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a middle-of-the-road film that ironically suffers from being a little too faithful to the book (the longest and least-loved of the series). As EW's critic noted , there's much "busyness and waiting," as "the most important stuff is what takes place in Harry's head, where troubling visions, intensifying in clarity and dread, attest to the young man's foretold connection to the evildoer most safely referred to as You-Know-Who." In other words, your enjoyment may hinge on whether you're digging the psychic weirdness or in a hurry to get back to the real world (or at least, as real as the Wizarding World ever gets).

Things are increasingly unreal at Hogwarts, though, thanks to a new addition to the school's staff. Imelda Staunton plays Dolores Umbridge, a scheming snake and latest Defense Against the Dark Arts professor who (barely) hides her evil intentions with a frosty smile and the pinkest wardrobe outside of Greta Gerwig 's Barbie . Staunton steals every scene she is in and inspires the other older actors to (for better or for worse) bring their own performances to her supremely arch level. The end result is a film in which Umbridge is clearly the most compelling character, and it's no surprise that some fans still consider her a more nefarious franchise villain than Voldemort ever was.

Where to watch Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix : Max

5. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince has proven to be somewhat divisive among fans. Tonally, the movie is caught in two directions: It wants to simultaneously show the growing darkness in Hogwarts and the moral complexity of the antagonists while also juggling the often-trivial school-age drama. As EW's critic points out , the Greek tragedy brewing between characters like Snape ( Alan Rickman , who is as dazzling as ever) and Draco Malfoy ( Tom Felton ) can be hard to process because "all the while, the teenage wizards-in-training have enough to handle just being regular teens under the spell of raging hormones."

As a result, the film never finds the tighter stride of its successors (which ditch the melodrama in favor of dystopian drama) while undercutting major events like the funeral of someone very significant. Still, Half-Blood Prince is a serviceable gear shift for the franchise, harnessing the sobering climax of the fifth film and turning the tension up as Voldemort takes bolder steps out of the shadows. And it's genuinely difficult to not get chills when you realize that, on almost every level, the characters you know and love are now on their own in a fight for their lives and, quite possibly, for their entire world.

Where to watch Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince : Max

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

These films have been getting darker (visually and stylistically) since The Prisoner of Azkaban , but it's notable how much dread Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 trudges up. In scene after bleakly beautiful scene, it's hard to shake the feeling that director David Yates isn't simply setting up the end of a major franchise, but perhaps the end of the life itself. EW's critic put it best : "The look of the movie is apocalyptically desolate too — when it's not baroquely sepulchral," effectively selling the idea that this is the end of the Wizarding World as we know it.

For all the aesthetic gloom, what really keeps us glued to the screen is watching how Harry, Ron, and Hermione deal with being cut off from all support systems — friends, family, and faculty — as they embark on a quest for Horcruxes and lay the groundwork to defeat Voldemort once and for all. While Hogwarts has always been dangerous, Deathly Hallows: Part 1 sees the trio at so much of a risk that they're forced on the run from the Death Eaters, taking the viewer almost entirely out of familiar environments and into the unknown of the wild. We're left watching these characters with a mixture of pride and fear as they prove how resilient and resourceful they've become. For many older fans, this care is nearly parental. (But how else can we view them after spending nearly a decade watching them grow up?)

Where to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 : Max

3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011)

With the final Harry Potter film, Warner Bros. achieved what Disney failed to do with the Star Wars sequel trilogy: bring everything to a satisfying conclusion. All of the long-simmering plotlines come to incredible climaxes as Harry desperately searches for the last Horcruxes, faces Voldemort in a final showdown, and successfully completes his hero's journey. As EW's critic said in her review , Deathly Hallows: Part 2 "leaves us with the dawning, awesome recognition that the world is huge, fraught, enigmatic, magical, dangerous, delightful, and, ultimately, the responsibility of young people who must first find their own footing."

While we should give plenty of credit to Yates's direction, the core trio of Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint should be commended for carrying this fantastical struggle of the old world against the new to completion. It was surreal to see them grow up onscreen and even more rewarding to watch them blossom into truly talented actors. Together, they give a performance that is (yes, we have to say it) magical, and it's what holds the fandom together to this day.

Where to watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 : Max

2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

While it's not the very best of these magical movies, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is definitely the most fun (up until its conclusion, that is…). The fourth film places a proto- Hunger Games -style student tournament at the narrative's center, making stakes feel higher than ever before as Harry (because of course he'd be thrust into this) tackles one killer set piece after another between awkward adolescent interludes, making for a very compelling installment.

This film deserves props for accurately adapting much of the book (with a notable exception of Dumbledore screaming his question about Harry's name in the Goblet of Fire, so you can stop writing that comment). It's also a trip to see our teenage heroes complicate their relationships and begin new ones, such as Ron's growing jealousy over Harry constantly being at the center of attention, or Hermione getting a taste of real romance with the fetching Bulgarian student Viktor Krum. And by the time you see what happens to Robert Pattinson 's Cedric Diggory (hint: it involves Ralph Fiennes ' chilling introduction as series Big Bad Voldemort), you'll know that none of our beloved characters are safe from the growing reach of the Death Eaters.

Where to watch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire : Max

1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban immediately stood out in the franchise for being tonally different from what had come before. Those first two works had been pleasing children's movies with some charming characters and world-building at their core. But as EW's critic points out , director Alfonso Cuarón delivers something much more grown-up, with a film that was "shot in spooky gradations of silver and shadow" and quickly established itself as "the first movie in the series with fear and wonder in its bones, and genuine fun, too."

This was a perfect balance that the franchise would arguably never achieve again. Later films delivered on both spectacle and spookiness, but no other movie gave us scenes as captivating as the first arrival of the Dementors, with the Hogwarts Express windows frosting as they move ever closer, or the threat of a mad killer (turned father figure) on the hunt for Harry. And death never seemed quite so close in the series as it was when the hippogriff (later saved thanks to Time-Turner shenanigans) gets executed. The message is clear: Innocence is rapidly being replaced in the Wizarding World with something dark and unforgiving. But Cuarón never lets that darkness triumph, showing us a Harry who quite literally learns to fight back the shadows with the abundant light and love hidden deep inside of him.

Where to watch Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban : Max

Every Harry Potter Movie Ranked Worst To Best

After so much time apart, we were ecstatic when the folks at HBO announced they were bringing the Harry Potter movie series in its entirety to their cable and streaming platforms and featuring it alongside the latest addition to the magical universe, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Like so many muggles the world over, we hit our Harry Potter -verse binge hard — all 21 hours and 48 minutes of it — and we're now ready to rank the entire series, from The Sorcerer's Stone to The Deathly Hallows . Hold onto your wands, kids, 'cause the magic is about to begin.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

Beginnings are important in all things, but beginnings for a film franchise can be a tricky business, especially when that franchise is based on one of the biggest-selling book series in history . Considering what a thrilling experience Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was for readers of all ages when the books made their debut, there was reasonable expectation that this first film would deliver an equally thrilling intro to the big-screen series.

Maybe it was the underwhelming performances of the film's young stars, or perhaps it was the generally apathetic direction by Chris Columbus, but Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was (and remains) a rather tepid affair. One that drags on for a surprisingly stuffy two-and-a-half hours.

With its three-headed beasts, shape-shifting professors, flying brooms, and larger-than-life chess match, there's still magic to behold in Harry's first year at Hogwarts. Still, the film is so bogged down by Columbus' efforts to build the enchanted world of the films, without sacrificing too much of Rowling's book, that it fails to connect on a visceral level. In the end, this first installment of the landmark franchise is just magical enough to keep your attention, but it's also a bit of a snoozer on repeat viewings — even if it did make close to a billion dollars in worldwide box office.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Even the most staunch defenders of Sorcerer's Stone 's big-screen adaptation have to admit the film lacked in both energy and, well, magic. It was a bit of a surprise then that Chris Columbus was offered the director's chair for Harry's second year at Hogwarts, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets .

Columbus knocked Chamber of Secrets out of the park, bringing a genuine sense of discovery, and even danger, to the famed school surrounded by whomping willows, spider-filled forests, and the titular Chamber of Secrets . All of this as Harry and friends begin to unravel the riddle that is, um, Tom Riddle.

Unfortunately, Chamber of Secrets still sees stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint struggling to find their way as actors. Columbus struggles with tone and pacing as well. Though Chamber of Secrets eclipses Sorcerer's Stone on virtually every level — particularly when Kenneth Branagh is on screen — its almost three-hour runtime makes it a bit of a slog to sit through, and the film's overall lack of style certainly played a part in Warner Bros.' decision not to offer Columbus the third film in the franchise, Prisoner of Azkaban . More on that film later.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

After cheating death for three straight years, Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts proved to be his most perilous yet. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire finds the tortured teen wizard struggling to navigate the choppy waters of coupling in the wizard world, competing as the youngest-ever contestant in the perilous Tri-Wizard Tournament, and facing down the murderous dark lord himself, Voldemort.

If it sounds like there's a lot going on in Goblet of Fire , that's because there is. A bit too much to be honest. After all, Goblet of Fire is based on the second-longest book in J.K. Rowling's beloved series. Even with a runtime approaching two hours and forty minutes, it still feels like this adaptation is glancing over, or flat out ignoring, too much of Rowling's book.

Mike Newell's overall approach to Goblet of Fire 's narrative is largely to blame for that. The director focuses the bulk of the film's time and energy on the daring trials of the Tri-Wizard tournament and nowhere near enough time on the wizards involved in them. That approach easily makes Goblet of Fire the most action-packed entry in the series, but the film is so lacking in nuance that when one of the Tri-Wizard competitors meets an untimely end, we've spent so little time with him that the tragedy (and the sense of danger that should accompany it) barely registers. Upon revisiting Goblet of Fire , we can't help but wonder if it might've worked better as a two-parter.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)

After seven epic novels and eight super-sized movies set almost entirely within the hallowed halls of Hogwarts, even the biggest Harry Potter fans were feeling like J.K. Rowling's enchanted world of wizards and witches was beginning to feel a little too small. Seems the famed author was in agreement on that matter. Rowling's first post-Potter film, and the first film she herself wrote, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them , takes the magic about as far away from Hogwarts as possible and into the bustling streets of 1920s New York.

While The Big Apple proves a welcome change of scenery for Rowling's world, to call Fantastic Beasts a mere experiment in world expansion would be a dramatic understatement. Free from the world of O.W.L. exams and unending teen angst, Rowling's thrilling tale of adult wizards dealing with adult wizard problems in adult wizard ways feels like an outright revelation.

Rowling fills the tale of Fantastic Beasts with enough action, adventure, and magical minutiae to rival any film in the Potter - verse, and even if the writer's spellbinding narrative often feels a little too action-heavy, it still manages to keep the human element front and center. As such, it's Katherine Waterston's tenacious Government agent, Dan Fogler's wide-eyed "no-maj," and Eddie Redmayne's endearingly oddball wrangler Newt Scamander that make Fantastic Beasts such a whimsical, well-rounded addition to Rowling's magical world. One that's got us amped to see its upcoming sequel, The Crimes of Grindewald .

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011)

As much pressure as there was on J.K. Rowling to bring Harry Potter's literary journey to a satisfactory close when Deathly Hallows hit bookshelves, the pressure was even higher for director David Yates to do as much for the billion-dollar cinematic franchise. That pressure was so intense that Warner Bros. decided to split the final film in the series in two with the hopes that David Yates and his team could give the franchise the sendoff it deserved.

Against seemingly impossible odds, Yates managed just that with Deathly Hallows Part 2 . In this closing chapter of the final Harry Potter franchise, Yates' team covers Harry, Hermione, and Ron's desperate search for Voldemort's Horcruxes, Snape's surprising backstory, the epic Battle of Hogwarts, and Harry's fateful showdown with the last heir of Slytherin.

Even as the second act of a two-parter, it feels like too much narrative for one film. However, Yates manages to squeeze all the inherent action and drama — and a number of characters too great to mention — into the shortest film in the franchise. That he does so without slighting any of the subtleties or overarching dramas that made the series such a compelling narrative experiment was no small achievement. Every thrilling moment of Deathly Hallows Part 2 coalesces to deliver a finale that's stimulating both emotionally and intellectually. Every moment, except for that 18 years later finale that still feels both tacked on and a bit silly, mostly because Neville and Luna aren't included.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

After the roller coaster ride that was Order of the Phoenix , it seemed unlikely that Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince could match its predecessor in terms pure emotional energy. In many ways, Half-Blood Prince actually bests Order of the Phoenix on the dramatic front. Of course, the film's impact is bolstered by a devastating third-act death, but the impact of that moment also hinges entirely on the buildup to it.

Luckily, buildup is Half-Blood Prince 's specialty. The film essentially serves as a two-and-a-half hour expository tale that sets up the final chapters in Harry's story, Deathly Hallows 1 and 2 . While that may sound like a bit of a bore, the penultimate film (well, sort of) in the series finds Harry and friends continuing to fight the good fight while unraveling the deep, dark secret that's made Voldemort all but immortal.

Structured more as a pulpy detective story than a magical adventure tale, Half-Blood Prince is the one film in the series that can be qualified as a genuine slow-burner. One that sees director David Yates (backed by Bruno Delbonell's Oscar-nominated cinematography ) skillfully guiding the film's puzzle-like narrative and holding each of his pieces until the exact moment they must be placed. Half-Blood Prince may test your patience with its pacing, but it delivers on the promise behind its mysteries. That said, the final revelation about the Half-Blood Prince's identity still doesn't pack the wallop it should.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

There was the Harry Potter franchise before Prisoner of Azkaban , and there was the Harry Potter franchise after. If you're uncertain about whether that's a good thing, take a moment to revisit the rankings for Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets, and you'll understand how necessary it was for Warner Bros. to bring a fresh set of eyes on board for the third film. Mexican auteur Alfonso Cuarón brought more than fresh eyes to Prisoner of Azkaban , he brought a whole new perspective to the magical franchise by grounding it in humanity.

Of course, Cuarón benefited greatly from the fact that the first two films painstakingly set up the characters, settings, and larger story arcs that became the mainstays of the franchise, but one cannot understate just how much style the director brought to Harry's world. Even from the film's opening moments, colors felt brighter, lights and shadows seemed to come alive, performances were more natural, the blending of effects more fluid, and, above all, the film is crackling with a youthful energy and overarching sense of danger all but absent in the prior films.

That energy drew us into Harry's life in ways the first two films hadn't. It's the reason the Dementors attacks on him are so frightening, it's why we shudder at the thought of Sirius Black getting his murderous hands on Harry, and it's what left us weepy as Black's real motives were revealed. That energy not only brought the wonder back to Hogwarts, it fundamentally altered the direction of the franchise.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

We must not tell lies when talking about Order of the Phoenix , so we'll come clean and tell you it remains the first film in the franchise that actually brought us to tears. That emotional response came as a bit of a surprise after the dramatic misfire that was Goblet of Fire , even if that film's most thrilling moment helped to set it up. That thrilling moment being Harry's first showdown with a fully resurrected Voldemort.

The dread spawned around that showdown permeates through every single frame in Order of the Phoenix. An authoritarian regime in rising within the Ministry of Magic, and, behind it, one of the great Harry Potter villains, the mirthfully malicious Dolores Umbridge, who seizes control of Hogwarts. All this while Harry shares terrifying visions with Voldemort, Dumbledore freezes Harry out, and Dumbledore's Army assembles.

As with all of the Harry Potter movies, there's a lot going on in Order of the Phoenix. Unlike many of its predecessors, however, Order of the Phoenix never feels overwhelmed by its narrative ambition. It plugs along at a brisk pace, covering the bases (including the series' first full-on wizard fight), delivers one of the series' biggest emotional payoffs in its harrowing final moments, and proves the greatest trick David Yates pulled in his four Potter flicks is that he turned the longest book of the series into the second-shortest film in the franchise.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 (2010)

The end of Harry Potter marked not just a farewell to one of the most beloved franchises in history but the legit end of an era. For that reason, Warner Bros. decided to split Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows into two separate films in service of telling the whole story — and doubling their profits of course. Luckily, finale director David Yates brought the franchise home with a bang in Deathly Hallows Part 2 , but that's only because he set the finale up so well with Deathly Hallows Part 1 .

Equal parts brooding character study, rambling road movie, and treatise against fascist bureaucracy, Deathly Hallows Part 1 unfolds with a propulsive immediacy unseen in any prior Potter film, mostly because it's set almost entirely outside the grounds of Hogwarts. In fact, Harry, Hermione, and Ron spend much of the film completely isolated from the allies who have backed them up in every film prior.

As such, Deathly Hallows Part 1 's emotional crux lay squarely on the shoulders of Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint, who step up to deliver their strongest performances of the series. In turn, Yates and his team deliver the series' most stylish film, shooting in lavish, isolated locations, utilizing breathtaking visual effects, and delivering the most memorable sequence of the entire franchise with a jaw-dropping, animated account of the titular artifacts. Though Deathly Hallows Part 1 spelled the beginning of the end for the storied franchise, it stands as the crowning achievement in the adaptation of Rowling's magical mystery world. One that continues to thrill on repeat viewings.

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Harry Potter

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint enchanted audiences over the course of eight films -- adapted from the wildly popular fantasy novels by J.K. Rowling -- that follow the magical education of a fledgling wizard destined for greatness.

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

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There have been 11 films to date featuring characters who live in the world of Harry Potter.

Best Harry Potter Film: Here are all 11 films in the Potterverse ranked according to Rotten Tomatoes reviews - including Fantastic Beasts

It’s now been 12 years since the eighth and final part of the Harry Potter film series hit cinema screens – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released in 2011.

Since then three parts of the ‘ Fantastic Beasts ’ series, starring Eddie Redmayne , have been added to the Potterverse to extend the franchaise to 11 films and counting.

Now fans of the boy wizard have something new to look forward to, with a Harry Potter television series now in the works.

Rumours have been circulating of a Harry Potter television series for years, but now streaming service Max (formerly HBO Max) have confirmed that will be making it.

It's set to be one of the flagship shows for the new Max streaming service, which combines the HBO Max and discovery+ channels, with each series tackling one of the seven Harry Potter books written by JK Rowling .

Expected to be released in late 2025 or early 2026, before it arrives we’re looking at all the films that have already been released – from best to worst according to online review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes.

1 . Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

The eighth and final film of the main Harry Potter story takes the crown as the best reviewed, with an impressive 96 per cent Rotten Tomato rating. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 sees Harry and friends search for the Horcruxes that are the source of Voldemort's power, before a final epic showdown at Hogwarts Castle. Photo: Warner Bros.

2 . Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The third film in the series, directed by Alfonso Cuaron, takes second spot, with a 90 per cent rating. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban features Gary Oldman as Sirius Black - a deranged killer who escapes from Azkaban prison seemingly determined to murder Harry. Photo: Warner Bros.

3 . Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Coming third, with an 88 per cent rating, is Harry's fourth outing. Taking a significantly darker and more complex turn in comparison to the previous films, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire's plot revolves around an inter-school wizarding competition. Photo: Warner Bros.

4 . Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Next up, with an 84 per cent Tomatometer rating, is the sixth film in the main series - 2009's Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. It sees As Death Eaters wreaking havoc in both both Muggle and Wizard worlds, with even Hogwarts no longer able to provide a safe haven for Harry and his friends. Photo: Warner Bros.

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We Ranked All 8 of the Harry Potter Movies

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

There are some extremely memorable moments in The Chamber of Secrets. We're introduced to The Burrow and the delightful Weasley clan, Ron vomits up slugs, Ginny (Harry's future boo) is a big part of the mystery of Tom Riddle's diary, and the house elf Dobby brings life to his many scenes. But at nearly three hours, if there's such a thing as too much Harry Potter, this is it. The length, along with the dark storyline of a giant basilisk petrifying a bunch of muggle-born children, makes this film the least magical of the eight.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

As the penultimate movie in the series, the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 's sole objective was to set-up the grand finale of the biggest film franchise in history. And with all that pressure, it did the best it could do, showing Harry, Ron, and Hermione setting out on a journey outside of Hogwarts that could quite literally save the world.

But the result meant that nearly every scene was plagued by agonizing dread, because we knew the end was coming—and we weren't quite sure we were ready for it. A few perks included that Ramione stans were satisfied, and it was refreshing to see the Golden Trio come into adulthood in the real world. Plus, the backdrops were beautiful and the mystery of the Horcruxes is a vital storyline. But aside from that and the action of the first hour, this one fell flat.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

We have The Half-Blood Prince to thank for some of the series' more light-hearted moments. Harry drinks liquid luck, Ron and Hermione become so petty as they refuse to admit their feeling for one another, and Ginny and Harry share their first kiss. It's a breath of fresh air before we get to the hard-hitting stuff that's to come.

This film is also home to some big moments, mainly Snape's apparent betrayal and the death of Albus Dumbledore. But as we learn, both of those events come to mean so much more than they appeared in this installment.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Blue, Water, Photography, Darkness, Black hair, Fiction, Love,

This film gets flack for being a little too dark as Harry fights against doubts that Voldemort has officially returned. And throughout, the Boy Who Lived is plagued by a sour mood because he's literally a walking Horcrux (though he doesn't know that yet.) There's also the somewhat adult theme of corruption in the Ministry of Magic that brings a more mature tone to the series.

But we also have the deliciously insidious Dolores Umbridge, who I'd argue is one of film history's best villains. And the Order of the Phoenix closes out with a beautiful, yet somber battle that ends in the death of Sirius Black. It's definitely not the most upbeat adaptation, but it's the one that showcases the reality of generations worth of unrest and war at the hands of evil.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Outerwear, Uniform, Cloak, Event, Child,

Critics of the inaugural film in the series highlight how young this movie felt, from its grade-school aged (and inexperienced) cast to its relatively weak visual affects. But, y'all it was 2001—and at the time Sorcerer's Stone was a breakout phenomenon that set box office records.

However, I must admit it's the nostalgia that makes this film a front-runner, introducing us to the OG cast we'd see grow up on the big screen over the next 10 years. In efforts to wow fans with book-to-movie features, we were treated to details that became rare in the franchise's future films: moving stair cases, talking portraits, and Nearly Headless Nick. Sorcerer's Stone is also what gave us Hermione's most-quoted line: "Its levi O sa, not levio SAH !" Ultimately, it set the standard for all the greatness that was to come, making it clear that Harry Potter movies would be unlike any we'd ever seen before.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Fashion, Event, Tradition, Dress, Dance, Happy, Haute couture, Ceremony, Performing arts, Magenta,

Full disclosure, this is my favorite Harry Potter film of all time. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are officially teenagers, and that means budding romance, adolescent confusion, and a school dance that gives way to a coming of age flick that's quite honestly my bread and butter. The Triwizard Tournament also introduces characters that expand the wizarding world beyond the walls of Hogwarts—and we can't forget the first time we see the new and improved fully formed Voldemort, who kills Cedric Diggory in that devastating graveyard scene.

But for objectivity, I can't ignore fans' very legitimate complaints about the film's differences from its 734-page companion. Like where on earth was Winky? And R.I.P to Hermione's beloved S.P.E.W.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Two words: Sirius Black. That about sums up the greatness that is the Prisoner of Azkaban , as we're introduced to the remaining members of The Marauders, which include our fave professor turned-rabid werewolf Remus Lupin and Harry's animagus prisoner godfather.

There's also the unforgettable visuals that finally succeeded in turning Rowling's words into a believable world. We're talking about the night bus, the Time-Turner sequence, the Whomping Willow, and our introduction to the Patronus charm. And last but not least? Hermione punches Draco Malfoy. *Chef's Kiss*

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Black-and-white, Monochrome, Monochrome photography, Architecture, Photography, Building, Symmetry, Darkness, Metal, Style,

Oh, this finale. Where can I begin? Somehow, the Deathly Hallows Part 2 avoided the cliché, corny tropes (save for the epilogue) that tend to plague final installments, creating a flawless ending that both broke our hearts and gave us peace.

Director David Yates expertly tackled Rowling's complex final book, making it clear exactly why Harry and his friends had suffered for the past 10 years at the hands of Voldemort. We followed along as the Boy Who Lived got rid of Horcruxes—only to realize that he himself was one and needed to make the ultimate sacrifice.

We also saw beloved characters die in battle. Hermione and Ron kissed it out. Oh, and old Voldie finally kicked the bucket. The action and visual affects were unmatched, and all our favorite witches and wizards battled it out in one place. Epic is an understatement. The one fault? Fred was done so wrong, and you can never convince me otherwise.

McKenzie Jean-Philippe is the editorial assistant at OprahMag.com covering pop culture, TV, movies, celebrity, and lifestyle. She loves a great Oprah viral moment and all things Netflix—but come summertime, Big Brother has her heart. On a day off you'll find her curled up with a new juicy romance novel.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

‘Best’ Harry Potter film with 90% Rotten Tomatoes score returning to cinemas this weekend

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Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is returning to cinemas on Saturday to mark its 20-year anniversary.

The third film in the wizarding franchise, directed by Alfonso Cuarón, marked a distinct shift away from the cutesy warmth of the first two into darker territory.

With moody lighting and a really quite frightening werewolf, the film saw the pre-teen gang of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, confronted with a more adult world as they entered their third year of Hogwarts.

The film will return to UK cinemas on May 31 for a limited run, two decades after its 2004 premiere, when it grossed over $804m worldwide.

Many have often heralded the third film as one of the best, with fans taking to social media in the wake of this news to express just this.

‘The Prisoner of Azkaban is the best Harry Potter movie hands down,’ wrote @_ginabln, while @cammyblyth agreed, adding: ‘Best Harry Potter movie.’

‘Omg badass my fave harry potter movie,’ commented @ChristianStole5, as @giovannyyyy2022 said: ’20 years?!?!?!?! This is the best Harry Potter movie it’s very different from the rest and directed by a Latino.’

On Rotten Tomatoes it’s rated at 90%, coming in close second behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which has 96%.

Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban Unit ?? Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.

The film’s headline refers to the maniacal mass-murderer who escapes from Azkaban seemingly to kill Harry.

At 13, Harry must also contend with an omen of death and having his happy ever after cruelly snatched away from him.

With a screenplay by Steve Kloves, the fast-paced adventure film is based on the 1999 novel of the same name, written by JK Rowling.

The film stars all the usual Harry Potter suspects including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint as the mischievous Gryffindor trio at the heart of the franchise.

The late Robbie Coltrane and Michael Gambon, who starred as Hagrid and Dumbledore throughout the magical series, also appear in this film – both of whom have died within the last two years.

The Prisoner of Azkaban also saw Gary Oldman’s debut in the films as Sirius Black, with Timothy Spall also emerging as Peter Pettigrew.

Emma Thompson also appears as the wide-eyed, superstitious Professor Trelawney, creating much of the ominous drama throughout.

This comes after creator JK Rowling recently revealed her disdain for her former coworkers in a new article for The Times .

Rowling, 58 criticised her past colleagues who have supported trans women and branded their views about transgender people ‘despicable’.

After she became a vocal trans-exclusionary radical feminist in 2020, many Harry Potter stars have spoken out against the author’s beliefs – that trans women shouldn’t have the same rights as cis-women, and specifically, shouldn’t be allowed in same sex spaces.

In the new article, Rowling then revealed that some of her coworkers had followed up with her to check they were still amicable.

‘In truth, the condemnation of certain individuals was far less surprising to me than the fact that some of them then emailed me, or sent messages through third parties, to check that we were still friends.’

She then added: ‘The thing is, those appalled by my position often fail to grasp how truly despicable I find theirs.’

Earlier this year, Rowling said Daniel Radcliffe and Watson could ‘save their apologies’ on trans views as she hit out at the former child stars who brought her book to life.

Following these comments, Radcliffe has admitted Rowling makes him ‘really sad’ now .

The actor recently told the Atlantic : ‘It makes me really sad, ultimately, because I do look at the person that I met, the times that we met, and the books that she wrote, and the world that she created, and all of that is to me so deeply empathic.’

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An Estimated Timeline For Each Season Of HBO's Harry Potter TV Remake (Based On Warner Bros' New Release Window)

I love fred & george - but hbo's harry potter remake must fix the movies' biggest weasley-twin mistakes, netflix’s perfect wednesday replacement adds a dark twist to the boarding school trope.

Slytherin students deserve better representation in the Harry Potter universe, as not all of them are bad people.
The portrayal of female characters in Harry Potter should be more diverse and less stereotypical.
HBO's Harry Potter remake has the opportunity to address inconsistencies in the magical world and give more attention to character deaths.

The Harry Potter franchise has faced a lot of criticism over the years, but there are a few valid complaints that HBO's remake could address. Overall, Harry's story has been loved for generations. The wizarding world and its themes have something to offer to audiences of all ages, and this has allowed Harry Potter to stand the test of time. However, it's far from perfect. There are a few details about this fictional world and the way it was constructed that are a little hard to swallow. Thankfully, the upcoming reboot is a chance to make subtle changes for the better.

HBO's Harry Potter TV remake , which is expected to begin streaming in 2026, will dedicate entire seasons to each of J.K. Rowling's books, and this means an opportunity for a book-faithful screen adaptation at long last. Fans will be eager to see some of the events that the Harry Potter movies missed, and there is some room to more overtly dive into some of the extended canon that has been explored since the books concluded. Of course, HBO must avoid making too many changes to the story of Harry Potter , but that isn't to say the series can't address some fair complaints.

Warner Bros has revealed its hopeful release window for the Harry Potter TV remake, which allows us to estimate what years each season will stream.

7 There Aren't Enough Good Slytherin Students In Harry Potter

The harry potter remake can redeem the slytherins.

An image of Dolores Umbridge and a group of Slytherin students standing together in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Slytherin and Gryffindor's rivalry plays a significant role in Harry Potter , and this certainly shouldn't change in the upcoming reboot. This sense of competition truly drives the plot along, and Harry and Draco must have that innate prejudice against one another throughout the series. However, one of the more frustrating aspects of Harry Potter is that every single Slytherin student mentioned throughout the series was an awful person . There were several good Slytherin adults spattered throughout, but the students themselves were all pretty despicable.

After so many years of fans growing to love Slytherin (or identify with the house themselves), the upcoming series must portray the house in a more realistic light.

Since the Harry Potter books are from Harry's perspective, and he was pitted against Slytherin from day one, it makes some sense that he wouldn't notice any of the good eggs. However, a TV show would have a somewhat broader perspective. After so many years of fans growing to love Slytherin (or identify with the house themselves), the upcoming series must portray the house in a more realistic light. What's more, it would be nice if all the Hogwarts teachers didn't seem to despise Slytherin as well.

6 The Girl Students Of Hogwarts Aren't Portrayed Well

The girls of hogwarts were either athletes or boy-crazy, with very little in between.

Lavender Brown smiling slightly in Harry Potter.

Just as the Slytherins got the short end of the stick in Harry Potter , the female students of Hogwarts didn't come across so well, either. There are certainly some good and well-represented girls in Gryffindor, such as Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, Angelina Johnson, and Katie Bell, but the rest are often depicted as boy-obsessed and somewhat vapid . Best friends Lavender Brown and Pavarti Patil were relentless gossips, while other girls like Romilda Vane and her posse were entirely obsessed with slipping boys' love potions.

Once again, the Harry Potter books, being from the perspective of a teenage boy, added to this problem. Harry mostly interacted with girls on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and they were considered different from the other girls. He even thought in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince that he was glad that Ginny didn't " giggle " like the gaggles of girls he saw moving around Hogwarts in search of boys. While 16-year-old Harry can be forgiven for this perspective, it would be nice if the HBO remake didn't limit girl characters to either being athletes or boy-crazy .

5 The Adults Of Harry Potter Were Far Too Clueless

The golden trio were the only ones who knew what was going on.

Clueless adults are a bit of a staple of YA literature, and this is especially prevalent in the early Harry Potter books. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , Harry, Ron, and Hermione seemed to be the only characters with any idea of what was going on . They got past the obstacles guarding the Philosopher's Stone, though full-grown wizards had set them up to be impenetrable, and they were the only ones who figured out the location of the Chamber of Secrets and that it was a basilisk terrorizing the school.

This works for a couple of children's stories, but Harry Potter has evolved into so much more than that. Therefore, it's important that HBO's remake be a little more intentional with the adult characters' involvement in these stories. This might be a little harder to pull off since the Golden Trio has to be the one to solve these mysteries. The Harry Potter TV show will likely expand into other characters' perspectives, so the best way to fix the adult problem is to dive into Dumbledore's decision-making. Perhaps it could be revealed that the headmaster purposely allowed these kids to solve the mysteries (much to McGonagall's frustration).

4 The Wizarding World Is Full Of Magical Inconsistencies

Hbo's remake can be a little more cohesive.

One of the more confusing aspects of Harry Potter 's wizarding world is how magic is used. It has long been a frustration that potions like Veritaserum exist but that they are rarely used in situations where they would be needed . Sneakoscopes—even cheap ones—are revealed to be effective at alerting a wizard when someone is being deceptive, but they are rarely featured in Harry Potter (along with Foe Glasses or other Dark detecting devices that would have been handy). Pensieves, Time-Turners, Portkeys—the way these magical items are utilized is horribly inconsistent.

The Harry Potter books make some effort to explain this, but they weren't altogether successful. For example, it's explained that Time-Turners are regulated by the Ministry of Magic, so not just any witch or wizard can use them. However, the fact that they gave one to a 14-year-old-girl for school work contradicts this strict regulation. Potions like Verituserum and Polyjuice potion are meant to be difficult to make and, therefore, limited in use, but Hermione was, again, able to get around this. HBO's Harry Potter remake just needs to tighten up the rules a bit.

3 Many Character Deaths Didn't Get The Attention They Should

The harry potter remake will likely extend the battle of hogwarts.

Many characters died in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , but only some of them got the attention that they deserved. Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks were only revealed to be dead after the fact , and there was no time to explore how their deaths impacted any of the other characters. Fred got his own impactful death scene in books (the Harry Potter movies woefully skipped over this), but his family's mourning was cut short by the joy of Voldemort's death and the end of the series.

Harry couldn't be everywhere during the Battle of Hogwarts, so it makes sense that the books couldn't show every major character's death. The movies had the opportunity to show multiple perspectives, but there simply wasn't enough time. This is where HBO's TV remake has an edge. the Battle of Hogwarts is sure to be a multi-episode event, and there will be time to show different duels within the battle. What's more, there will be time to continue the story beyond Harry and Voldmeort's duel, allowing characters (and audiences) time to mourn their losses.

2 The Death Eaters Were Dirty & Grungy

In harry potter, dirty equals death eater.

Harry Potter Voldemort Death Eaters (1) (1)

It's always easy to spot a villain in the Harry Potter franchise. The books would always describe them as stupid and ugly, while the movies gave these characters a grungy, greasy look that gave their Dark wizard status away. This is another standard staple of YA fantasy. The lines between good and evil are fairly clear, and the standard is that good equals attractive and clean, while evil equals dirty and ugly. However, the more complex themes of Harry Potter point out the ambiguity of real-world morality, and with an older audience base, HBO's remake can make adjustments to the Death Eaters .

Voldemort and his followers all believe that they are superior because they believe in blood purity. Therefore, it makes sense that they would present themselves as such. Rather than dirty and grungy, Death Eaters should be proud and sophisticated, though every bit as evil. An existing example of this is the Malfoys, who are high class and look down their noses at everyone else. This should be the appeal of Voldemort's movement, and without dirty villains, it makes far more sense that the Ministry wouldn't know friend from foe.

1 Questionable Characters Were Overly Glorified

Harry gained respect for dumbledore & snape, but he didn't have to name his son after him.

The Harry Potter series made a lot of great points about morality, placing most characters in a grey area rather than having them definitively make good or bad decisions. Albus Dumbledore is a prime example. Harry started off thinking that the old headmaster could do no wrong, but by the end, he recognized that he hadn't been so easy to define. Snape is another example, though his shift was the opposite—with Harry first despising the man before growing to respect him. This is all well and good. However, by the end of the series, some pretty horrible characters were still given too much leeway.

While it's fine that Harry learned to appreciate the good in Dumbledore and Snape, they both still did horrible things to the Boy Who Lived. Therefore, naming his son after both might have been taking things too far . The same is true for James, who, though Harry's father, was far from innocent. Harry Potter fans have long argued that Harry's kids' names were pretty horrible, so while this change might be a little less likely, it's always possible that the Harry Potter reboot would make an adjustment here. Changes to canon aren't typically appreciated, but fans might be willing to make an exception in this case.

Harry Potter

Harry Potter is HBO's remake of the iconic Wizarding World film series that consisted of eight films between 2001 and 2011. Each season adapts a book from JK Rowling's popular series and provides more book-accurate details than the movies did. Upon the announcement of the Harry Potter TV show, the series received harsh criticism for the involvement of Rowling and for many thinking a reboot was unnecessary.

'Ezra' Review: Robert De Niro Gives a Genuine and Raw Performance

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The Big Picture

Ezra breaks from negative autism stereotypes by portraying its neurodivergent title character authentically.
Bobby Cannavale shines with a career-best performance as a comedian fiercely protecting his son.
Ezra offers a charming and passionate understanding of raising a child on the autism spectrum, standing out amidst inaccurate portrayals.

This review was originally part of our coverage for the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.

It's rare when autism has been portrayed accurately on screen . It is a sensitive subject to tackle, and while it might not be as stigmatized as it was even just 10 years ago, films like The Predator , Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close , and Music have characters that are built entirely around negative stereotypes. So often these characters are uniformly portrayed as robotic, emotionless, and even unlikable or obnoxious, while in real life people on the spectrum behave differently from one another.

While presenting his latest directorial effort Ezra , Tony Goldwyn made it clear to the TIFF audience that this is a story that is personal to him . Goldwyn's long-time friend Tony Spiridakis wrote the screenplay for the film, inspired by his own experience in co-parenting a kid with autism. Some might view some of the content in Ezra as done in poor taste, including Robert De Niro 's character lamenting how he can't use the R-word anymore, and those who do take offense have a right to feel that way. However, that won't prevent Ezra from speaking to many parents who are raising children who are on the spectrum.

Ezra (2023)

Ezra centers on comedian Max co-parenting autistic son Ezra with ex-wife Jenna. Faced with crucial decisions about Ezra's future, Max and Ezra go on a life-changing cross-country road trip.

What Is 'Ezra' About?

At the start of the film we are introduced to Max Brandel ( Bobby Cannavale ), a former late-night comedy writer turned stand-up comedia n. Because of his temperament, he has recently been divorced from Jenna ( Rose Byrne ) and has moved back in with his father Stan (De Niro). While Max is desperate to win Jenna back, the only thing that keeps him in contact with her is their 11-year-old autistic son Ezra ( William Fitzgerald ), who is incredibly intelligent, but his actions at his public school have led him to put himself and others in danger. Max and Jenna are constantly at odds with how to raise Ezra. Jenna wants to send him off to a special school and put him on medication while Max is weary of giving his son any prescription drug.

After an altercation at a doctor's office, a restraining order is placed against Max that prevents him from getting close to his only son . Following a career opportunity that could put his life back on track, Max does the only logical thing and he kidnaps Ezra to take him on a cross-country trip from New York to Los Angeles.

'Ezra' Has Its Heart in the Right Place

Unlike many portrayals of ASD on the big screen, William Fitzgerald , an actor who is neurodivergent, plays the film's title character. In his first-ever leading role, Fitzgerald steals your heart with his performance . He feels authentic and his chemistry with his larger-than-life co-stars like Cannavale, Byrne, and De Niro feels genuine and raw. Ezra could have easily come across as a made-for-TV movie, but Goldwyn and Spiridakis never sugarcoat anything. There are a handful of scenes that might prove to be a tough sit for some audience members, but it's nothing offensive or done in poor taste. While other recent media portrayals of autism feel like they lack the knowledge and care these kinds of stories require, Ezra is told with the best of intentions. Some of the film feels just a tad too hokey, there are quite a few jokes that don't land, and, yes, there's a point in the third act where the film becomes the strangest commercial for Jimmy Kimmel Live ever put to screen, but Ezra is just a hard film to hate. For as emotionally manipulative as some of the film's more dramatic moments are, including a scene involving Ezra finally getting to play with kids his age, it still manages to pack a punch.

Goldwyn's film never feels disingenuous as there is a clear amount of love and affection that was put into telling this story the right way. The film does suffer from some stop-and-go pacing, as the film introduces several subplots around some of its supporting cast. As welcome of an addition as Vera Farmiga is to any movie or show, her storyline never really does anything for the rest of the film narrative-wise.

Bobby Cannavale Gives a Career-Best Performance in 'Ezra'

Cannavale may not necessarily be a household name, especially compared to some of his co-stars in the film, but he's constantly popping up in a wide range of different projects from blockbusters like the Ant-Man films and Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle as well as in more dramatic roles like The Irishman and Boardwalk Empire . Ezra gives Cannavale what is possibly his strongest work to date playing the role of a comedian who struggles with controlling his anger and is fiercely protective of his son. While he does get to use some of his comedic talents in the film, it's the more dramatic moments where his performance shines the most. He isn't afraid to show his character's flaws, especially as Max continues to make horrible decisions throughout the film, but the audience still can find a way to care about him and root for him in the end.

Byrne and De Niro turn in some strong supporting work as well , but their acting is most effective when they appear on-screen together. The back-and-forth between the political incorrectness of De Niro's Max and the worried nature of Byrne's Jenna make for some of the film's most entertaining and humorous moments. The titular character Ezra isn't written with stereotypes and the cast of characters around him isn't either. While actors like Whoopi Goldberg and Rainn Wilson pop in the film for a bit, they are never given that much to do compared to everyone else.

Ezra is irresistibly charming , full of so much passion and care, and finds strength where similar films fall flat. It's not like autism is some rare condition, it is incredibly common and is becoming more and more accepted in modern society, but Ezra feels like one of the first films in a while that brings a strong understanding of what it's like to raise a child on the spectrum.

Ezra is an authentic and sensitive film with a career-best performance from Bobby Cannavale.

When it comes to movies about autism, this is one of the few that does its subject justice.
The film has it's heard in the right place, capturing the joys and challenges of life.
Cannavale is the best he's ever been, capturing the flaws of his character just as he does his heart.
The film suffers from pacing problems and subplots that go nowhere.

Ezra is now playing in theaters in the U.S. Click below for showtimes near you.

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Movie Reviews

Robert De Niro

Harry Potter: Sirius Black's Escape From Azkaban Was Surprisingly Simple

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It's important to remember the ongoing controversial statements by the creator of the Harry Potter franchise. CBR supports the hard work of industry professionals on properties fans know and love and the wider world of Harry Potter that fans have adopted as their own. You can find CBR's continuing coverage on Rowling here .

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Sirius Black manages to escape the most impenetrable prison in the magical world, Azkaban.
While Azkaban is located in the middle of the North Sea and protected by Dementors, Sirius had one secret that helped him avoid all security.
However, many wizards and witches have escaped Azkaban, which proves the high-security prison isn't as well-protected as the Ministry of Magic likes to believe.

In the world of Harry Potter , Azkaban was supposed to be the most secure prison in existence. It could hold any wizard, no matter how powerful. However, the prison's reputation might not be as great as many wizards believed. While Azkaban held mighty wizards, the few years that Harry Potter remained enrolled at Hogwarts famously saw the escape of a high-security prisoner, Sirius Black, who was believed guilty of the murders of James and Lily Potter as well as the murder of Peter Pettigrew and 12 muggles.

Sirius wasn't the first to escape from Azkaban. There was also a second wizard who slipped out long before him. On top of that, in 1996, all of Voldemort's Death Eaters broke out from Azkaban. The "inescapable" prison was very much escapable, and it seems the Dementors tasked with guarding prisoners didn't do their jobs well at all.

Updated on June 6, 2024, by Andrea Sandoval: Sirius Black was one of the greatest characters in the Harry Potter series. Despite entering the series as a mass murderer, soon enough, his name was clear. Sirius was Harry's grandfather and his closest father figure, until his terrible death in the Battle of the Ministry of Magic. His escape from Azkaban was considered an unprecedented event since the prison was such an inescapable place. We updated this article to include more information about Sirius' escape, Azkaban, and other wizards and witches who also escaped from the magical prison.

How Sirius Black Used His Animagus Form to Escape

Harry and Sirius fighting together in Order of the Phoenix

10 Times Sirius Black Was The Best Character In Harry Potter

Harry Potter's loyal godfather, Sirius Black was not a perfect wizard. Nevertheless, he stepped up for the heroes and had several moments to shine.

As explained throughout the Harry Potter series, Azkaban had a lot of protection, keeping the most dangerous wizard criminals in Britain locked up. It sat on an island in the middle of the North Sea, built in the 15th century and in operation since 1718. The prison used charms to remain hidden from all Muggles and was Unplottable, meaning it didn't exist on any maps. Instead of prison guards, Azkaban used Dementors, which seemed inhumane to many people. The Dementors had one specific power, which was draining people of all happiness and leaving them with only their worst memories. Most prisoners of Azkaban died from despair and ended up buried on the island after their deaths. In 1998, the Ministry of Magic outlawed the use of Dementors in Azkaban, but before this, there were still at least two people who escaped the watchful eye of these creatures.

Sirius Black ended up being the only wizard ever to escape Azkaban without help. Sirius was sent to Azkaban when Bartemius Crouch Senior sentenced several suspects after the First Wizarding War without trials. This locked away many Death Eaters before they could use their powers to escape justice, but innocents went to prison as well, with Sirius being one of the unlucky ones. The accusations against Sirius said he killed Peter Pettigrew and 12 Muggles while betraying James and Lily Potter and serving Lord Voldemort . None of this was true, as Pettigrew was still alive, and he was the one who killed the Muggles and helped Voldemort. That made Sirius' escape from Azkaban justifiable.

There Are Four Known Unregistered Animagi In The Harry Potter Series

Sirius Black became an animagus during his time at Hogwarts, together with his best friends, James and Peter. The Marauders decide to become animagi to help their friend Remus Lupin when he turns into a werewolf. Because they were underage, the Marauders never registered with the Ministry of Magic, which was considered illegal.
Another illegal animagi in the Harry Potter series is Rita Skeeter, who could turn into a beetle. This helped her witness private events without being observed and publish terrible pieces in the Daily Prophet.

As fans learned in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , Sirius Black and James Potter were the best of friends, and Sirius was Harry Potter's godfather. This made it important for him to escape Azkaban to help the boy. What aided Sirius here was that he was an unregistered Animagus. These are wizards who can transform into animals, such as Professor Minerva McGonagall, who was a registered Animagus and could turn into a cat. As for Sirius, he could change into a dog, but no one in Azkaban knew about this talent. After spending 12 years locked away in Azkaban, he saw a newspaper that showed Pettigrew in his Animagus form as a rat and realized he had to get out to help Harry. He turned into his dog form and easily slipped out of prison without any Dementors realizing it . However, he wasn't the first person to escape Azkaban.

SiriusBlack Wasn't the First Wizard to Escape Azkaban

Barty crouch sr., the ministry of magic's head of magical law enforcement, helped his son escape.

Goblet of Fire book cover and Harry Potter and Mad-Eye Moody in the film

The Movies Saved One Harry Potter Villain From a Fate Worse Than Death

A Harry Potter villain, played by David Tennant, was underutilized following his one and only role in The Goblet of Fire movie.

While Sirius' escape from Azkaban was seemingly extremely easy and quite a shock to Harry Potter 's public, he wasn't the first to escape. What made the first escape so embarrassing for the Wizarding World was that no one knew that Barty Crouch Jr. had escaped until long after it happened. This is because his parents set up the escape and helped him cover it up. Barty worked with the Death Eaters and pledged his loyalty to Lord Voldemort after the First Wizarding War, so when the time came, his own father, who led the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, sentenced him to Azkaban. It was the torture of Aurors Alice and Frank Longbottom that doomed his son to his fate.

Barty Crouch Jr.'s Loyalty To Voldemort Was Well Rewarded

Barty Crouch Jr. escaped Azkaban in 1982.
He spent the next 13 years under his father's Imperius Curse, hidden beneath an Invisibility Cloak and cared for by his house-elf, Winky.
Bertha Jorkins realized Barty was at his home during a visit to Crouch's home.
Barty Crouch Senior obliviated Bertha Jorkins, causing severe brain damage to the witch.
Peter Pettigrew stumbled upon Bertha, and Lord Voldemort extracted the information from the witch.
Realizing his most loyal Death Eater was alive and free, Lord Voldemort helped Barty escape from his father.
Barty took Polyjuice Potion to pass as Hogwarts' new professor, Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, sealing the real Moody away.

However, Crouch Sr. had other plans and did the unthinkable to save his son . He sentenced his 19-year-old son to life imprisonment in Azkaban and allowed him to enter the prison, where the Dementors began draining him of any joy he ever felt in life. One year later, his wife's health deteriorated because of what happened to their son, and she was dying. Because of his government position, Bartemius took his wife to see their son before she died.

However, this was all a plan where she agreed to take Barty's place, and they used Polyjuice Potion to switch their appearances. Crouch Sr. took his son home, and his wife died in Azkaban, disguised as Barty, and ended up buried on the grounds. It wasn't until Voldemort came for Barty and used him to infiltrate Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire that the Wizarding World discovered the truth, and Azkaban received another black eye in history.

The Mass Death Eater Breakouts from 1996 and 1997 Prove That Azkaban Simply Doesn't Work

Once it became clear they could more or less just walk away, everyone started doing it.

Known Wizards and Witches Who Escaped Azkaban:	Year:
Barty Crouch Jr.	1982
Sirius Black	1993
Antonin Dolohov	1995, 1996
Bellatrix Lestrange	1995
Augustus Rookwood	1995, 1996
Travers	1995, 1996, 1997
Rabastan Lestrange	1995, 1996
Rodolphus Lestrange	1995, 1996
Mulciber II	1995
Avery	1996
Crabbe	1996
Walden Macnair	1996
Lucius Malfoy	1996
Stan Shunpike	1996
Nott	1996
Corban Yaxley	1996

Custom image of Harry Potter featuring Bellatrix Lestrange, Severus Snape and Peter Pettigrew

10 Darkest Things the Death Eaters Did in Harry Potter, Ranked

Death Eaters performed numerous evil deeds for the Dark Lord, some more wicked than others.

After Lord Voldemort came back to life at the end of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, his next move was to free all of his Death Eaters from Azkaban. This was easy for Voldemort as he allied with the Dementors, who simply let these high-security prisoners escape. T he known Death Eaters that escaped from Azkaban in 1996 were locked on the highest floors of this prison, which proved ineffective once Lord Voldemort blackmailed the Dementors . Dementors had a lot more to earn from Voldemort's reign of terror, since they fed from the people's fears. This makes them, clearly, a bad choice for guarding a prison.

After the Battle of Hogwarts , several of the Death Eaters that had escaped were recaptured. However, the Ministry of Magic, neglectfully sends all these dark wizards to Azkaban once again, which is still under the protection of Dementors. Of course, it didn't take long for them to escape the prison to participate in the Battle of the Seven Potters and the Battle of Hogwarts.

Azkaban is a magical fort in the middle of the North Sea, protected not only by Dementors but also by various charms. However, whatever the Department of Magical Security uses to keep prisoners locked, seems to be highly inefficient, as more than 10 prisoners have successfully escaped from Azkaban, some of them more than once. The fact that the Ministry didn't learn from its mistakes with Sirius Black and Barty Crouch Jr. makes sense up to a point, as they were exceptional cases. But when they have ten Death Eaters escaping Azkaban, and they just put them back in prison after recapturing them, that's just not smart.

Sirius Black was an outstandingly powerful wizard . However, the fact that the Ministry of Magic didn't even make sure he wasn't an Animagus before keeping him behind bars makes very little sense. If Dementors weren't able to detect animals, it would stand to reason that the Department of Magical Law Enforcement would be very careful about Animagi. Sirius wasn't registered as Animagus in the Ministry of Magic, but this must have been a pretty common occurrence for criminals. So, Sirius managed to escape the prison due to his great determination and magical prowess, but also thanks to the fact that Azkaban is simply easy to escape.

After 1998, Azkaban replaced Dementors with Aurors, so maybe it's a little bit safer now . With Harry Potter leading the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and Hermione Granger positioned as the Minister for Magic, surely the two wizards have taken actions to make Azkaban as safe as possible.

Harry Potter

The Harry Potter franchise follows the adventure of a young boy introduced a whole new world of magic, mayhem and darkness. Traversing the obstacles in his path, young Harry's rise to heroics pits him against Lord Voldemort, one of the most dangerous wizards in the world and all his minions.

Every David Lynch Movie, Ranked (and Where To Watch Them)

Although it has been nearly two decades since David Lynch’s last feature film, many viewers remain hopeful that the legendary filmmaker will one day direct another movie. Given the experimental, mystifying, absurd, and surreal nature of many of his works, he is often considered one of Hollywood's most intriguing and important contemporary directors. Although it’s unknown if he will ever direct another feature film, there are plenty of existing Lynch masterpieces to delve into. This guide will rank all of David Lynch’s feature films as well as reveal where to watch them using popular streaming services like Netflix , Prime Video , Max and more!

One of David Lynch’s most notable films is the one that kickstarted his career: Eraserhead . The low-budget surrealist body horror movie follows Henry Spencer (Jack Nance), a young man who finds himself raising a baby with deformities. Its experimental nature, sexual undertones, and body horror initially horrified and disturbed viewers. However, the film picked up popularity as a midnight film and is now considered a masterpiece, given its surrealist nature, highlighting of human anxiety, and the numerous ways it can be interpreted.

Lynch’s next movie, The Elephant Man , was less experimental and, thus, less divisive than his feature film debut. Starring John Hurt and Sir Anthony Hopkins, the film is inspired by the true story of Joseph Merrick, a man with deformities who lived in London in the late 19th century. It received high critical acclaim for its beautiful black-and-white cinematography and heartbreaking, moving exploration of humanity.

Although his biographical film The Elephant Man was a hit, David Lynch returned to his surrealist and experimental films many times in his career. Blue Velvet and Inland Empire are among his best works in these areas. Blue Velvet achieved cult status and is considered one of the best mystery movies ever for spinning a dark, ambiguous tale from a severed ear. Although Inland Empire earned less fanfare than most Lynch movies, the Laura Dern -led psychological thriller is notable for being one of his most abstract, surreal, and dream-like films yet.

David Lynch has also proven his versatility as a filmmaker, surprising viewers with his family-friendly The Straight Story , a hyperrealistic but beautifully crafted movie that couldn’t be further from surrealism. Meanwhile, even his less successful films, including his take on the Dune franchise and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me , have stirred lively debates among viewers and earned re-evaluations.

Where can I watch the best David Lynch movies online?

For those interested in exploring David Lynch’s filmography further, we have ranked all of his feature films from best to worst based on their critical reception, groundbreaking nature, and legacy. Read on to find out where to stream every title in the United States!

Where To Watch Every Film in The Conjuring Universe in Order

The Conjuring Universe is the most successful horror franchise of all time, and its story isn’t over yet. Creator James Wan has confirmed the main series will soon conclude with The Conjuring: Last Rites , although the franchise will continue to live on in the form of a spinoff TV series and potential spinoff movies. For those who want to delve into the franchise before the next movie premieres, this guide will explain where and how to watch The Conjuring Universe in order using streaming platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, Max and more.

In 2013, the franchise began with The Conjuring . Every movie in the franchise is inspired by the purportedly true haunting cases documented by real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. The first movie sees Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) and Ed (Patrick Wilson) investigate the Perron family, who believe their new farmhouse in Rhode Island may be haunted. It proved a major success at the box office and earned high praise from critics for the performances of Farmiga and Wilson, the jump scares, and the tense atmosphere crafted by director Wan.

The first film’s success soon led to The Conjuring 2 and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It , with Farmiga and Wilson reprising their roles as Ed and Lorraine. The Conjuring 2 adapts the Enfield poltergeist case, while the third movie tackles the Arne Cheyenne Johnson murder investigation, which marked the first murder trial in U.S. history where a defendant claimed innocence due to demonic possession.

Both movies were successful commercially, though the third film’s departure from its haunted house formula drew mixed reviews. Since viewers couldn’t get enough of the Warrens' terrifying and allegedly true cases, the franchise soon created the Annabelle and The Nun film series. Annabelle fashions a horror story from an allegedly haunted Raggedy Ann doll found in the Warrens’ Occult Museum. Meanwhile, The Nun and its sequel, The Nun II , were loosely inspired by the Warrens’ reports of meeting a ghostly nun.

All of the Annabelle and Nun movies were commercial hits, demonstrating the enduring appeal of The Conjuring Universe with its blend of alleged truth and fiction and return to classic horror with haunted houses, dolls, and jump scares. Meanwhile, the end of The Nun II features a cameo from Farmiga and Wilson, teasing the movie’s connection to The Conjuring: Last Rites.

How to watch The Conjuring Universe in order

Viewers can watch The Conjuring Universe in either release date or chronological order. Chronological order may be preferable because it ensures viewers have context for certain cases mentioned in The Conjuring movies. However, chronological order can be complex, given that films like Annabelle: Creation occur across multiple years.

For this article, we have listed the movies chronologically based on the most prominent year featured in each film. For example, although Annabelle: Creation starts in 1943, the majority of the movie takes place in 1955, resulting in the film coming after The Nun, which takes place in 1952. Here is the chronological order:

Annabelle: Creation

Annabelle Comes Home

The Conjuring

The Conjuring 2

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

Alternatively, one can also stream The Conjuring films in the release date order detailed below. Read on to find out where to watch every entry in this franchise online in the United States.

Every Neon Genesis Evangelion TV Show and Movie in Order (And Where To Watch Them)

Since its release in 1995, Neon Genesis Evangelion has remained one of the most popular anime series of all time. It has grown into a sprawling media franchise that includes many films, books, manga series, and even amusement park attractions. Creator Hideaki Anno has also remained open to the idea of future TV shows and anime films under a new filmmaker. For those interested in delving into the franchise, this guide will demonstrate where to watch every Neon Genesis Evangelion film and TV show in order using streaming services like Netflix, Prime Video, Crunchyroll and more!

The franchise started in 1994 with a manga series of the same name to advertise the upcoming TV show. By 1995, Neon Genesis Evangelion arrived and told the story of Shinji Ikari, a teenage boy recruited by his estranged father, Gendo Ikari, to pilot Evangelion bio-machines and fight mysterious beings known as Angels. The show went far beyond the typical mecha anime and impressed viewers with its religious motifs and philosophical themes. It has since been hailed as one of the most outstanding anime series of all time.

However, its somewhat ambiguous ending received mixed reviews from viewers. As a result, Anno decided to make two films, Neon Genesis Evangelion: Death and Rebirth and The End of Evangelion , to provide an alternate ending to the anime series. Following the critical acclaim of The End of Evangelion, Anno decided he wasn’t done with the franchise yet and became chief director of the Rebuild of Evangelion film series.

Similar to the previous two films, the Rebuild of Evangelion tetralogy served as yet another alternate telling of Neon Genesis Evangelion. Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone and Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance essentially reshot episodes 1 - 23 of the anime with minor changes, while Evangelion: 3.0 You Can (Not) Redo diverged into a new story, and Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time offered a new ending.

There is also an original net animation (ONA) series called Petit Eva: Evangelion@School , which parodies the original series, and the short film Evangelion: Another Impact—Confidential . Also, be aware of the numerous unification films, such as Revival of Evangelion, which, despite its new title, is simply a double feature of Death and Rebirth and The End of Evangelion.

Where can I watch Neon Genesis Evangelion online?

Given the many remakes and alternate endings, the only way to watch the Neon Genesis Evangelion franchise is by the release date order below. Read on to find out where you can stream every entry in this popular franchise!

Where to Watch Every Entry in the PAW Patrol Franchise

In 2013, as superhero mania began to dominate Hollywood, another group of heroes emerged: the PAW Patrol. Led by the young boy Ryder, the team consisted of some unexpected members…puppies. There was Chase the police German Shepherd; Marshall, the firefighting dalmatian; and Skye, the piloting cockapoo, among others. But this kids’ show ended up taking the world by storm, eventually becoming a massive franchise. Use our guide below to find out where you can watch every entry in the PAW Patrol franchise in order using popular streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Paramount+ and more!

The entire franchise began in 2013 with the original PAW Patrol series. The show is still airing, currently on its 10th season. So far, PAW Patrol has amassed over 250 episodes, and with its enduring popularity, season 11 is on the way. In each episode, the PAW Patrol must save someone and usually fight off some kind of “bad guy”. But being a kids show (mostly for very young kids) the series is often free of violence, with the action being more wholesome.

Starting in 2016, PAW Patrol began producing hour-long films. In North America, they were released as TV movies, but in other parts of the world, they actually went to theaters, sometimes grossing millions of dollars. Some of the most popular movie specials were Ready, Race, Rescue! and Jet to the Rescue .

But in 2021, PAW Patrol finally got their first official, big-screen debut with Paw Patrol: The Movie . In the film, the PAW Patrol discovers their arch-nemesis Mayor Humdinger has just been elected to lead the nearby Adventure City. Sensing the coming mischief, the team heads out to save the city. Once again, the conflict and action are all super family-friendly, with one of the disasters being that the mayor has constructed a roller coaster-style loop for the city’s subway (which to me sounds like a lot of fun).

In 2023, PAW Patrol returned with another major film, PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie . In the film, a strange meteor crashes into Earth. Inside are several crystals, each giving the pups superpowers. But with their new abilities, the pups must face their biggest foe yet. The movie was a massive hit, grossing more than $202 million at the worldwide box office. That same year PAW Patrol also received the spinoff series Rubble & Crew , which has also been renewed for a new season.

PAW Patrol franchise in release order:

PAW Patrol (2013-Present)
PAW Patrol: Mighty Pups (2018)
Ready, Race, Rescue! (2019)
Jet to the Rescue (2020)
PAW Patrol: The Movie (2021)
Rubble & Crew (2023-Present)
PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie (2023)

Where can I watch PAW Patrol online?

A third PAW Patrol movie is in the works and according to Variety, it’s set to hit theaters sometime in 2026. Until then, check out our guide below to find out where to watch the entire PAW Patrol franchise in order.

Every James Cameron Movie Ranked (and Where to Watch Them)

If you look at the five highest-grossing movies of all time, three of them have been directed by James Cameron. He knows how to strike the perfect balance between action, emotion, strong characters, and visual spectacle, creating an entire filmography of must-watch films. But what are Cameron’s best movies? Check out our guide below to find out where to watch every James Cameron movie (and discover which are his best).

There aren’t really any “bad” James Cameron movies. The director has somehow managed to create hit after hit, giving audiences four decades of masterpieces. But if someone had to choose, Cameron’s first film Piranha II: The Spawning could be considered his “worst”. The movie was a sequel to the schlocky 1978 horror hit Piranha , which was all about… killer piranhas. This time around, the piranhas are even more deadly and they can fly! Somehow, the movie is so bombastic and ridiculous that it’s actually hard to consider it a bad movie. It’s so insane that it becomes laugh-out-loud funny and is great to watch with friends.

On the other end of the Cameron spectrum, we have his best movies. Taking the #1 spot as the best James Cameron movie ever is Aliens . This sequel to Ridley Scott’s 1979 horror classic follows Ellen Ripley as she discovers that terraformers have attempted to colonize LV-426 – the same moon the xenomorph came from. Obviously, things don’t go well for the terraformers and it’s up to Ripley and her team to save them. Aliens swaps out some of the suspense from the original for more action and adventure, creating a unique action-horror movie that works flawlessly. Aliens isn’t just a great sequel, it also complements the original perfectly by shifting genres, making both films equally amazing for completely different reasons.

And of course, we can’t talk about James Cameron without talking about Titanic . The film takes the #2 spot on our list. For over a decade it was the highest-grossing movie ever and it was the first film to make over $1 billion at the box office. Staying true to Cameron’s genre-blending style, Titanic was loaded with romance, drama, and action. The movie tells a romantic love story between two passengers, Jack and Rose. But as the ship begins to sink, Titanic’s vibe completely changes, becoming a hardcore disaster film. Viewers who aren’t into romantic dramas will still be captivated by the unbelievably true disaster the doomed ocean liner experienced in the middle of the Atlantic.

Also ranking high on the list is Cameron’s often-overlooked hit The Abyss . Released in 1989 (just a few months before the Cold War ended), the movie imagines a near-future where Americans and Soviets are racing to retrieve a sunken submarine. Making everything worse is a looming hurricane that’s barreling toward both nations’ fleets. When America finally gets a dive team into the ocean, they begin experiencing strange phenomena and seeing unknown lifeforms. With claustrophobic conditions, a massive storm, and the excitement of unknown aliens, The Abyss is a fantastically captivating movie. It even won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects at the 1990 ceremony.

Here’s the full ranking of James Cameron’s films:

Aliens

T2: Judgement Day

Avatar: The Way of Water

The Terminator

Avatar

Piranha II: The Spawning

Where can I watch James Cameron movies online?

Cameron fans have a lot to look forward to since the filmmaker currently has two more Avatar sequels in development, with the next one expected to hit theaters in late 2025. Until then, check out our guide below to find out where you can stream all of James Cameron’s movies on popular platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, Max, and more.

Every Deadpool Movie In Order (and Where to Watch Them)

The Deadpool movie series is set to expand with the release of Deadpool & Wolverine , featuring a crossover between Hugh Jackman’s Logan (a.k.a. Wolverine) and Ryan Reynolds’ Wade Wilson (a.k.a. Deadpool) and marking Deadpool's first official entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ).

For those interested in catching up with all of the Deadpool movies, this guide shows you how and where to watch every movie in order. We'll also show you if you can watch them legally for free online.

Deadpool’s live-action career on the big screen had a shaky start with X-Men Origins: Wolverine . In the movie, he is introduced as Wilson, a katana-wielding mercenary who joins William Stryker’s (Danny Huston) Team X, along with Wolverine. However, Wilson becomes a victim of Stryker’s experiments and is transformed into Weapon XI. While Weapon XI had Deadpool’s incredible healing factor, he did not have his characteristic red suit. What’s even stranger is that he had his mouth sewn shut and was silent, even though he’s often referred to as the Merc with a Mouth. As a result, many criticized the movie’s non-traditional depiction of Deadpool.

Fortunately, when the timeline was reset in X-Men: Days of Future Past , it allowed 20th Century Fox to introduce an alternate version of the character in Deadpool . Reynolds reprised his role as Wilson, but viewers finally got a comic book-accurate version of the Merc with a Mouth. The R-rated movie captures Deadpool in all his vulgar, foul-mouthed glory, telling the tragic, bloody, and surprisingly humorous story of a man whose experimental cancer treatment leaves him mutilated and with an unparalleled healing factor.

It wasn’t long before Reynolds reprised his role as Deadpool in the short film Deadpool: No Good Deed to tease Deadpool 2 . The short film was played before Logan in some theaters, given that Deadpool has always tried to steal Wolverine’s glory. It was soon followed by the release of Deadpool 2, which introduced Josh Brolin’s Cable as he, Deadpool, and X-Force go on a zany time-traveling adventure to save humanity.

During the holidays, 20th Century Fox also released a PG-13 version of Deadpool 2, Once Upon a Deadpool , to allow a broader audience to see the film. After that, Deadpool’s fate was left uncertain as Disney acquired 20th Century Fox. Fortunately, the studio opted to bring Deadpool into the MCU, with Reynolds teasing the decision in the promotional short film Deadpool and Korg React. Disney celebrated its acquisition of the franchise by making Deadpool and Deadpool 2 the first R-rated movies available to stream on Disney+ and giving the greenlight to Deadpool & Wolverine.

Where can I watch Deadpool movies online?

There is only one order to watch the Deadpool films, as each movie was released in chronological order. Here you can find out where to stream every Deadpool movie in order, including every offer available to viewers in the United States.

Every Hannibal Lecter Movie and Series in Chronological Order (and Where to Watch Them)

Want to find out where you can watch every Hannibal Lecter movie (and series) in chronological order? Find out what order the series should be watched in, and find out where to watch each entry using our guide below.

In 1991, The Silence of the Lambs premiered and chilled audiences to their core. The film follows young FBI agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) as she works to stop a killer known as Buffalo Bill, who kidnaps women and skins them. To ensure her success, she seeks the help of renowned forensic psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter. The problem is that Lecter is a serial killer himself and has his own nefarious intentions. Trapped between two killers, Starling must walk a tightrope to save Buffalo Bill’s victims, while also keeping herself alive.

But The Silence of the Lambs isn’t the original Hannibal Lecter story. The movie was actually adapted from a sequel novel written in 1988. The original Hannibal book came out in 1981 and was titled Red Dragon. The Silence of the Lambs also wasn’t the first Hannibal movie. It was actually 1986’s Manhunter that first brought the infamous cannibal to the big screen (though he was played by Brian Cox instead of Anthony Hopkins). The movie is based on the original Red Dragon novel and centers on a detective who is almost murdered by Lecter. But once a new serial killer called the Tooth Fairy begins murdering families, he’s forced to seek Lecter’s help to save lives. In 2002, another film adaptation of Red Dragon arrived, this time having Hopkins reprise his now-iconic role as Lecter.

In 2006 a prequel novel was released titled Hannibal Rising, which then became the earliest entry in the series chronologically. The following year, a film adaptation premiered, this time with Gaspard Ulliel portraying the younger Hannibal Lecter. The film shows how Lecter’s tortured childhood during World War II caused him to become desensitized to murder while also leaving him with long-lasting, unresolved trauma, thus explaining his descent into murder and cannibalism.

The final entry in the Hannibal series is 2001’s Hannibal . Based on the 1999 novel of the same name, the film takes place a decade after The Silence of the Lambs, and Clarice Starling is now played by Julianne Moore. The movie is far more outlandish than the previous entries and shows a strange bond develop between Starling and Lecter. The movie is also filled with way more gore than the previous films, including wild hog mutilations, eating human brains, and more. Still, Hannibal was a huge success at the box office.

Here’s how to watch the Hannibal Lecter movies both in order of release and chronologically.

By Order of Release:

Manhunter (1986)

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Hannibal (2001)

Red Dragon (2002)

Hannibal Rising (2007)

By Chronological Order:

Hannibal Rising

The Silence of the Lambs

Fans of the franchise should also check out the highly acclaimed series Hannibal . While it doesn’t fit perfectly into the timeline, it’s still a fantastic series that’s developed a devout cult following thanks to its complex characters and excellent suspense. Another series, Clarice , premiered in 2021. Unlike Hannibal, it is very much rooted within the official timeline, taking place shortly after the events of The Silence of the Lambs.

Find out where to watch every Hannibal movie and series using our streaming guide below.

From The Matrix to Her: Where To Watch the 25 Best Films About AI, Ranked

Humanity has always been interested in the concept of artificial intelligence (AI), which is why the film industry has been tackling it since the first AI movie, Metropolis , in 1927. For decades, filmmakers have hypothesized and even warned about what a world with near-sentient, intelligent machines would look like. Now that real-life technology, such as GPT-4o, is genuinely starting to resemble the AI seen in movies like Her , interest in these movies is only increasing.

For those interested in AI from a filmmaker’s perspective, this guide will explain where to watch the 25 best movies about AI.

Some of the best AI movies are also some of the best sci-fi movies ever made, including The Matrix , 2001: A Space Odyssey , and Blade Runner . The Matrix sees Neo ( Keanu Reeves ), Morpheus (Laurence Fishburn), and Trinity (Carrie-Ann Moss) seek the truth about the reality they live in. It warned of unchecked technological advancement, probing a dark world where AI enslaves humanity, trapping them in a virtual reality.

The idea of a dystopian world where AI takes over humanity has been explored in countless films, including The Creator , Ex Machina , Westworld , and I Am Mother . In fact, even back in the 1970s, films like Colossus: The Forbin Project were already exploring malevolent intelligent machines, highlighting the long-standing anxiety over advanced technology.

Some movies, like Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, explore AI exerting control in a smaller capacity. However, Kubrick’s film is one of the most chilling, given that the AI, depicted as a simple red light, resembles modern voice recognition technology like Siri and Alexa.

Then, movies like Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner delve into other issues with AI, primarily the difficult question of what draws the line between humans and technology. As Rick Deckard ( Harrison Ford ) falls for a lifelike “Replicant,” it begs the question of what it will mean to be human once technology and humans become indistinguishable.

There are additional movies like Blade Runner where AI isn’t necessarily evil.

In films like Star Wars and Iron Man , AI machines like C-3PO and J.A.R.V.I.S. are friendly droids and AI assistants who help save the world. In the Joaquin Phoenix -led Her and Sam Rockwell-led Moon , the movies explore the concept of AI as a coping mechanism for human loneliness. Pixar’s 2008 animated hit WALL-E even delves into how AI may take charge simply because of sheer human laziness.

Where to watch the best movies about AI online

Whether it’s exploring dystopian worlds with evil AI, probing the concept of what it means to be human, delving into human-machine relationships, or exploring the potential of advanced technology, countless great movies have been made about AI.

Here is where to watch the 25 best AI movies ranked by quality, popularity, and how sophisticated their commentary on AI is.

100 Best Action Comedy Series of All Time – A Streaming Guide

Action comedy is one of the world's most popular TV genres, delivering heart-pounding action scenes and hilarious moments in equal measure. To help you find the best action comedy TV shows of all time, we've made a streaming guide with 100 must-see TV series to add to your watchlist. You can also use this guide to find out where you can watch them on streaming services such as Netflix , Prime Video , Max , Disney+ and more.

In addition to featuring hilarious gags and heart-racing action sequences, the best action comedy series have some of TV's most beloved characters. You can watch many action comedy series with iconic characters such as the sinster 'superhero' Homelander ( The Boys ), the lovable yet immensely powerful Aang ( Avatar: The Last Airbender ) and the ever-determined Lucy MacLean ( Fallout ).

While there are plenty of amazing live action TV series to enjoy, some of the best action comedy series are animated. Some of the very best TV series to animate action comedy adventures include the spy-spoof Archer , the TV-MA DC Comics adaptation of Harley Quinn , and the intergalactic explorations of Rick and Morty .

If you are specifically looking for top-rated action comedy series that are suitable for kids, check out The Powerpuff Girls , Teen Titans and Knuckles . You can also use JustWatch to filter by age rating to ensure you only see the kid-friendly titles on this list.

Where can I watch the best action comedy series?

Check out this JustWatch streaming guide, which features the best 100 action comedy series of all time and where to watch them on popular streaming services. This includes the latest streaming information for anybody streaming in the United States.

100 Best Superhero Series of All Time – A Streaming Guide

From animated classics like Justice League and X-Men to modern hits like The Umbrella Academy and Peacemaker , superheroes have been saving the day on the small screen for decades. To help you find the greatest superhero series to add to your watchlist, here's a steaming guide to the 100 of the best superhero series of all time. You can also use this guide to find out where you can watch them on popular streaming platforms like Netflix , Prime Video , Max and Disney+ .

There have been several Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) superhero series that have graced our screens over the years, including popular series such as Agent Carter and Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. As the universe grew in popularity throughout the 2010s, so did the number of TV shows to enjoy. This was accelerated by the launch of Disney+, which saw WandaVision become the first Marvel TV show to directly impacted the course of upcoming MCU movies. Other Disney+ MCU shows include The Falcon and the Winter Soldier , Loki and Ms. Marvel .

DC Comics also has a rich television history, with many adaptations of the company's most popular heroes in live action TV shows and animated cartoons. In addition to the many Batman and Superman produced over the years, the CW's Arrowverse kickstarted in 2012 with Arrow and continued until 2023. The interconnected titles featured in the Arrowverse included The Flash , Supergirl , Legends of Tomorrow , Black Lightning and Batwoman . With other titles like Superman & Lois , Doom Patrol , Peacemaker , Watchmen and Constantine , fans have a flurry of choice from either universe to binge-watch.

From 2015-2019, Netflix was home to more adult-oriented superhero series such as Marvel’s Daredevil , one of the most beloved superhero series of all time. Jessica Jones , Luke Cage , Iron Fist , The Defenders and The Punisher rounded out Netflix's collection of Marvel superhero series.

When looking for the best superhero series of all time, fans can also consider non-Marvel/DC shows such as Prime Video’s The Boys – an extremely successful TV series that combined superheroes, action, comedy and R-rated content. There are also many animated TV shows adored by fans of every age, such as Batman: The Animated Series , Spider-Man , Harley Quinn , Invincible and Young Justice .

Where can I watch the best superhero series?

Check out our complete list of the best 100 superhero series of all time below. Discover where to watch them on streaming services available in the United States.

100 Best Sitcoms of All Time – A Streaming Guide

Sitcoms have been a mainstay in television for generations. Beginning with the first ever TV sitcom, Mary Kay and Johnny , leading up to modern classics like The Office and Parks and Recreation , there will always be at least one title every TV watcher can proudly proclaim to be the greatest sitcom of all time. In this streaming guide, you'll find the best TV sitcoms and where to watch them on popular streaming services like Netflix , Prime Video , Max and Disney+ . We'll also let you know if there are any options to stream a sitcom online for free.

When discussing timeless sitcoms, one standout remains a fixture in television history: the iconic I Love Lucy . which aired from 1951 until 1957. Its enduring legacy, spearheaded by the performance of the titular Lucille Ball, continues to inspire serialized comedy and modern day sitcoms.

Throughout the 1950s and '60s, families eagerly awaited the latest episode of hit sitcoms like Leave It to Beaver , The Honeymooners and Gilligan’s Island . By the 1970s, TV shows like The Mary Tyler Moore Show , M*A*S*H , The Jeffersons and Happy Days featured memorable casts that kept viewers entertained season after season.

In the 1980s and ‘90s, there are several examples of sitcoms that showcase the daily challenges of American families and their familial bonds. Some of the best examples include Family Ties , Diff'rent Strokes , The Cosby Show , Full House , The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , Cheers , The Golden Girls , Seinfeld , Friends and Frasier . The 2000s saw an increase in popular workplace comedies, utilizing mockumentary-style filmmaking and uncomfortable cringe comedy. TV shows like The Office and Parks and Recreation are considered sitcom masterpieces, depicting hysterically awkward situations and occasionally warring (yet endearing) coworkers. Other great shows with a similar comedic style include Abbott Elementary , Modern Family and Arrested Development . For more adult comedy, sitcoms such as Curb Your Enthusiasm , Peep Show and It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia never fail to deliver gut-busting laughs with their unique approaches to the sitcom genre.

Where can I watch the best sitcoms?

If you're looking for the best sitcom movies to add to your watchlist, you'll find plenty of amazing shows with this streaming guide. Here are the best 100 sitcoms of all time and where to watch them on streaming services in the United States.

100 Best Dark Fantasy Movies of All Time – A Streaming Guide

If you like your fantasy movies to be twisted, gruesome and ghastly – with stories of the dark arts and terrifying creatures – this guide to the 100 best dark fantasy movies of all time is perfect for you. In addition to a ranking of the top titles, we’ll show you where you can watch every movie on this list today on streaming services in the United States. We’ll also let you know if you can watch any of these iconic dark fantasy movies legally for free online.

The dark fantasy genre combines fantastical stories with themes of horror. Some of the most recognizable directors known for putting dark fantasy stories on the big screen include Guillermo del Toro ( Pan’s Labyrinth , Hellboy , The Shape of Water ), Tim Burton ( Coraline , Sleepy Hollow , Edward Scissorhands ) and Jim Henson ( The Dark Crystal , Labyrinth ).

Despite their themes of horror, there are plenty of dark fantasy movies that can be enjoyed by the whole family. A few examples include the animated adventure Don Bluth’s The Secret of NIMH , Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal , and George Lucas/Ron Howard’s Willow . Families with older children may also enjoy slightly darker adventures such as Roald Dahl’s The Witches , The Addams Family and Spirited Away .

If you’re interested in exploring some of the best dark fantasy movies produced outside of the United States, must-see titles include Onibaba (Japan), The City of Lost Children (France), Viy (Soviet Union) and In Fabric (United Kingdom). You can also enjoy dark fantasy anime movies such as Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust , Wicked City , Berserk: The Golden Age Arc trilogy and Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train .

Where can I watch the best dark fantasy movies?

Below you’ll find the latest streaming information for the 100 best dark fantasy movies. You can filter your results by release year, price, IMDb rating, age rating and run time.

100 Best Crime Detective Movies of All Time – A Streaming Guide

The crime detective genre puts thrilling criminal investigations on the big screen. These movies follow a detective – who could be a hired private investigator, a member of law enforcement, or a complete amateur – as they attempt to uncover the mysteries of a crime. The genre includes plenty of incredible noir ( The Lady from Shanghai , The Maltese Falcon ) and neo-noir ( Memories of Murder , Brick ) movies, as well as light-hearted parodies ( The Pink Panther ) and action comedies ( Rush Hour ). Whether you’re looking for cinema’s bleakest noir movies or something for the whole family, you’ll find something for you with our list of the 100 best crime detective movies of all time.

Many of the best crime detective movies are adaptations of famous novels. Among the most famous detectives successfully adapted for the big screen include Raymond Chandler’s Philip Marlowe ( The Big Sleep , Farewell, My Lovely , The Long Goodbye ), Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes ( The Hound of the Baskervilles , The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes ) and Agatha Christie's Poirot ( Murder on the Orient Express , Death on the Nile ). These characters have inspired many other movies on this top 100 list, so their movies are a great starting point for anybody who is new to the genre.

There are also plenty of options if you’re looking for unconventional detective crime stories that also belong to another genre. Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner: The Final Cut is a neo-noir science fiction movie starring Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard, who is tasked with hunting down a group of criminal replicants (androids). Another example is Matt Reeve’s The Batman , a superhero movie which tells the story of Bruce Wayne (Robert Pattison) as he searches for a dangerous criminal in Gotham City.

Where can I watch the best crime detective movies?

Below you can find our complete list of the 100 best crime detective movies of all time. We’ll show you where you can watch every movie online on popular streaming services in the United States. We’ll also let you know if you can watch any of these movies online for free, or if they are available to watch for free with ads.

100 Best Rom-Com Movies of All Time – A Streaming Guide

Romantic comedies have provided audiences with love, laughter and heartbreak on the big screen for over a hundred years. Whether you’re looking for modern rom-coms such as Anyone But You and No Hard Feelings , or timeless classics like as Some Like it Hot and The Philadelphia Story , we’ve got you covered with this guide to the 100 best rom-coms of all time. We’ll show you where to watch every movie on this list, including the latest offers from streaming services such as Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+. We’ll also show you if there are options to watch great rom-coms for free online.

Romantic comedies explore the subject of love in a humorous way. While there are iconic rom-coms from every decade since the silent era, the genre reached the peak of its box office powers in the 1990s. The wit and charm of writers such as Nora Ephron ( When Harry Met Sally , You’ve Got Mail ) and Richard Curtis ( Four Weddings and a Funeral , Notting Hill ) led to a slew of hit movies that are still synonymous with the genre today. Going back further, the works of Ernst Lubitsch ( Ninotschka , Trouble in Paradise ), Billy Wilder ( The Apartment , The Seven Year Itch ) and Howard Hawks ( Bringing Up Baby , His Girl Friday ) have undeniably stood the test of time. All three directors have multiple movies in our top 100, and their work inspired many of the tropes audiences now expect from a great rom-com movie.

If you prefer unconventional love stories, there are still plenty of rom-coms to enjoy – including the video game inspired Scott Pilgrim vs the World , the ABBA-inspired musical Mamma Mia! , or the time-traveling romance About Time . There are also many must-see rom-coms produced outside of the United States; Hit movies such as Amélie (France), Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (Italy) and Eat Drink Man Woman (Taiwan) are all among the best rom-coms of all time.

Where can I watch the best rom-com movies?

No matter what you’re looking for in your next rom-com movie night, you’ll find something for your watchlist with our best 100 rom-coms of all time. Here’s the complete list and where to watch them on streaming services in the United States.

15 of the Best Steven Spielberg Movies (and Where to Watch Them)

Steven Spielberg is one of (if not the) best directors in Hollywood history. He’s been nominated for a lofty 22 Oscars and has won three. On top of that, he’s directed some of the biggest blockbusters ever that have grossed billions upon billions of dollars and become cultural landmarks that have shaped not just entertainment, but our daily lives. So, what are the filmmaker’s best movies? Use our guide below to discover the best Steven Spielberg movies and where to stream them.

You can’t talk about Spielberg without talking about Jaws . Centered around a New England town that’s battling a man-eating shark, Jaws is so terrifying that many horror fans even consider it a horror movie. The shark animatronic was a modern marvel at the time and some scenes still look downright terrifying to this day. But what makes the movie even more impressive is that it was Spielberg’s first major film. He was just 26 years old when he directed the feature. The movie was so powerful that it actually fueled society’s paranoia about sharks and led to a massive increase in the killings of great whites . Spielberg regrets the impact his film had on wildlife, but creating such an evocative story is impressive nonetheless.

Spielberg is also credited with reinvigorating society’s interest in dinosaurs thanks to Jurassic Park . The movie centers around an island theme park where resurrected dinosaurs are the main attraction. Naturally, it all goes to hell and the dinos break out of their cages, causing absolute chaos. With great actors, a great story, and great special and practical effects, Jurassic Park continues to be a beloved movie that fans watch over and over again. A new film in the franchise is also currently in the pre-production stage, so more dino chaos is on the way!

On top of his blockbuster hits, Spielberg is also known for his award-winning masterpieces (many of which also became blockbuster hits). His first Oscar nomination came in 1978 for Close Encounters of the Third Kind . The film shows what humanity’s first encounter with extraterrestrials might be like, and it’s filled with a great sense of wonder… and suspense. That combination makes Close Encounters a unique entry in the alien genre because it isn’t about the horror of an alien takeover, but instead focuses on the mix of fear, curiosity, and excitement that people would likely have.

Spielberg’s most lauded film though is 1994’s Schindler’s List . The film tells the true story of Oskar Schindler, a man who saved over a thousand Jewish people during the holocaust by bribing Nazi leaders to assure their safety. The movie was met with universal praise and received 12 Oscar nominations. Schindler’s List went on to win seven awards, including Best Picture and Best Director - both for Spielberg since he directed and produced the film.

Where to watch the best Steven Spielberg movies

While almost every Steven Spielberg movie is fantastic in its own right, here are 15 you absolutely need to watch, from E.T. to Indiana Jones , and more. Find out where to watch Steven Spielberg’s best movies using our guide below.

Where To Watch Francis Ford Coppola’s 15 Best Movies, Ranked

After a 13-year hiatus from directing, legendary filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola has returned with a new film, Megalopolis , which is already causing a stir following its Cannes premiere . A prominent figure in the New Hollywood film movement, Coppola is often hailed as one of the greatest directors of all time for his cinematic masterpieces with larger-than-life characters and rich stories. For those interested in delving into his work before Megalopolis, this guide will demonstrate where to watch his 15 best films.

Even those unfamiliar with Coppola will likely have heard of his best film, The Godfather , which is often hailed as one of the greatest movies ever made. The Godfather is credited with revolutionizing the gangster genre as it humanized the Corleones and their love of family. Additionally, the storytelling is rich, the criminals larger-than-life, and the performances of Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone and Al Pacino as Michael Corleone blew audiences away.

While the sequel, The Godfather II , couldn’t match the original's groundbreaking nature and historical significance, it is easily one of the greatest movie sequels ever made. The film arguably adds more depth and an even darker tone as it continues to delve into Michael’s deterioration intercut with masterfully crafted flashbacks of Vito’s ( Robert de Niro ) life.

Another movie that almost eclipsed The Godfather in quality and impact is Apocalypse Now . It is based on Joseph Conrad’s thought-provoking novel Heart of Darkness but switches the setting to the Vietnam War. Featuring the talents of Brando, Robert Duvall, Martin Sheen, and Laurence Fishburne, Apocalypse Now is one of the most haunting, mesmerizing, and unforgettable war epics of all time.

Although often overshadowed by The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, The Conversation also warrants special mention in discussions of Coppola’s greatest works. The movie follows surveillance expert Harry Caul (Gene Hackman), who faces an intense moral dilemma when he realizes the couple he has been tailing may be at the center of a murder plot. It’s a simple plot, but the layers to the story are numerous as viewers delve deep into the nightmarish sense of paranoia and probe questions of morals and power.

In addition to four of the greatest movies of all time, Coppola has made many more well-received hits ranging from the zany and amusing You’re a Big Boy Now to the experimental road trip drama The Rain People to the horror vampire film Bram Stoker’s Dracula .

If you’re looking for more of Coppola’s greatest works, see below for where to watch his 15 best films ranked by their quality, popularity, and historical significance.

Where To Watch Every Star Wars Live-Action and Animated TV Show in Order

The Star Wars franchise expanded in 2024 with the live-action TV series The Acolyte . Set 100 years before the events of Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace , The Acolyte marks one of the shows to take advantage of the vast galaxy and timeline the franchise has to work with. For those interested in further exploring Star Wars’ TV show collection, this guide will demonstrate how and where to watch all the live-action and animated Star Wars TV shows in order.

While most are familiar with the Disney+ Star Wars shows, the franchise moved to the small screen long before Disney’s acquisition. By 1985, sister animated series Ewoks and Star Wars: Droids arrived on ABC and followed the adventures of the Ewoks, R2-D2, and C-3PO. However, it would be over two decades until the next TV show, Star Wars: The Clone Wars , arrived.

Fortunately, by 2003, George Lucas had established Lucasfilm Animation, which rang in a new era of Star Wars TV shows. Star Wars: The Clone Wars follows Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Ahsoka Tano between the events of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones and Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith . It went on to earn high critical acclaim for its groundbreaking visuals, voice performances, and story. Star Wars: The Clone Wars later received an equally well-received spinoff series, Star Wars: The Bad Batch .

Another prominent animated series is Star Wars Rebels , which follows Ezra Bridger, Kanan Jarrus, Sabine Wren, and the rest of the Ghost Crew as they retaliate against the Galactic Empire’s oppressive rule following Order 66.

In 2019, the first live-action Star Wars series arrived with The Mandalorian . Set after the Galactic Empire's fall, The Mandalorian won fans over with its tale of Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal), a bounty hunter entrusted with protecting a Force-sensitive youngling, Grogu, from the remnants of the Empire. The series also brought back Boba Fett (Temuera Morrison) from the Star Wars movies and transitioned Ahsoka to live-action, portrayed by Rosario Dawson . Out of The Mandalorian’s success came the spinoff series The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka .

The franchise has explored additional periods through its shows, too, such as the Rebellion with Star Wars: Andor or post-Order 66 in Obi-Wan Kenobi .

How to watch all the Star Wars TV shows in order

Unlike Marvel or DC, Star Wars TV shows aren’t divided into different universes. Almost all the shows are largely considered canon except the early Ewoks and Droids series and the anthology series Star Wars: Visions . Meanwhile, every series fits somewhere within the overall Star Wars timeline, making it possible to watch them in chronological order. Star Wars: Visions is the only show that doesn’t fit in the chronological order since it spans multiple timelines.

Otherwise, here are all the Star Wars TV shows chronologically:

Young Jedi Adventures

The Acolyte

Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Star Wars: Droids

Star Wars: Tales of the Empire

Star Wars: The Bad Batch

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Star Wars Rebels

Star Wars: Andor

The Mandalorian

The Book of Boba Fett

Star Wars Resistance

Where to watch all the Star Wars TV Shows online

There are a few problems with watching in chronological order: many TV shows take place over multiple years, they are difficult to place because they are anthologies, or, in the case of The Mandalorian season 3 and Ahsoka season 1, sometimes run concurrently with one another. Hence, another approach is simply to watch all the Star Wars TV shows by the release date order which is provided below:

Furiosa and 10 Other George Miller Movies You Need to Watch (and Where to Stream Them)

George Miller easily has one of the most unique directorial careers in Hollywood history. On one hand, he’s known for directing all the Mad Max movies , making him one of the most prolific action directors ever. But did you know that he’s also directed quite a few successful family films as well? Remember watching Happy Feet … that movie about the singing penguins? Yep, that’s George Miller too.

So, check out our guide below to find out where you can watch all of George Miller’s best movies, from action hits to kid’s favorites and more.

Miller is best known for creating, writing, and directing Mad Max . The film takes place in a post-apocalyptic Australia where the overconsumption of fossil fuels has created so much pollution that ecocide has virtually destroyed all plant life on Earth, forcing humans to battle for the few precious resources that are left. Unlike many franchises, where the directors are constantly swapped out, Miller has had full control of Mad Max since the beginning and has stayed on as director for every film in the franchise, including Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga . He’ll also be directing the upcoming Mad Max: Fury Road sequel, Mad Max: The Wasteland.

In 1998, Miller went in a completely different direction when he wrote and directed the children’s classic Babe: Pig in the City , which was a sequel to 1995’s Babe (a movie that he wrote). This time around, Babe finds himself lost in the big city and eventually goes on a whirlwind adventure with the help of some of his animal pals.

Miller’s newfound reputation as a family film director grew even bigger in 2006 when he released the hit film Happy Feet. The movie was a jukebox musical following the life of penguins… who happen to absolutely love singing and dancing. The movie had a huge cast of A-List talent like Elijah Wood, Nicole Kidman, and Hugh Jackman , and featured songs like ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ by Elvis and ‘Somebody to Love’ by Queen. The movie became a huge hit, grossing more than $384 million at the box office. In 2011, Miller returned to write, produce, and direct its sequel, Happy Feet Two .

One often-overlooked project of Miller’s was his involvement in 1983’s Twilight Zone: The Movie . The film was an anthology feature with different directors creating vignettes, similar to the TV show. For the film, Miller remade the iconic 1963 episode ‘Nightmare at 20,000 ft.’ where William Shatner played an airplane passenger who sees a gremlin on the wing of the plane. In Miller’s remake, John Lithgow takes over Shatner’s role and thanks to newer practical effects, the gremlin looks much more realistic and terrifying.

Looking for more of George Miller’s best movies? Use our guide below to find out where you can watch all of his best films.

How to Watch Every Movie at Cannes Film Festival 2024

The 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival takes place from May 15, 2024 until May 25 2024. In addition to screening many of 2024's best movies, this is also where production companies can strike distribution deals for upcoming theatrical and streaming releases. In this guide, we'll show you where you can watch every feature-length movie and short film at Cannes Film Festival 2024. While it may be some time before these movies are available to the public, this guide is regularly updated so you'll be the first to know when a movie is available on streaming services such as Prime Video , Netflix , Criterion , Apple TV+ and many more.

Which movies are screening at Cannes 2024?

In competition, this year’s lineup includes the latest movies from renowned directors such as Francis Ford Coppola ( Megalopolis ), Andrea Arnold (Bird), Yorgos Lanthimos ( Kinds of Kindness ), David Cronenberg ( The Shrouds ) and Paolo Sorrentino ( Parthenope ). The festival opener is Quentin Dupieux’s Second Act, while movies screening out of competition include George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Kevin Costner’s Horizon, an American Saga .

Who is on the jury at Cannes 2024?

Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig presides over the 2024 Cannes film festival jury as president. Last year, the director’s Barbie became a worldwide hit, grossing more than $1.4 billion at the box office. Canadian filmmaker Xavier Dolan is President of the Un Certain Regard jury. The director has previously won several awards at Cannes, including the Jury Prize for Mommy in 2014 and the Grand Prix (the second most prestigious Cannes award after the Palme D’or) for It's Only the End of the World in 2016. At the time of writing, the full list of judges has not been released. Check out the full lineup for the Cannes Film Festival 2024 here:

The Second Act - Quentin Dupieux

Competition

All We Imagine as Light - Payal Kapadia

Anora - Sean Baker

Bird - Andrea Arnold

Caught by the Tides (Feng Liu Yi Dai) - Jia Zhang-Ke

Emilia Perez - Jacques Audiard

Grand Tour - Miguel Gomes

Kinds of Kindness - Yorgos Lanthimos

L’Amour Ouf - Gilles Lellouche

Limonov: The Ballad - Kirill Serebrennikov

Marcello Mio - Christophe Honore

Megalopolis - Francis Ford Coppola

Motel Destino - Karim Ainouz

Oh Canada - Paul Schrader

Parthenope - Paolo Sorrentino

The Apprentice - Ali Abbasi

The Girl With the Needle - Magnus von Horn

The Shrouds - David Cronenberg

The Substance - Coralie Fargeat

Wild Diamond (Diamant Brut) - Agathe Riedinger

Un Certain Regard

Armand - Halfdan Ullman Tondel

Black Dog (Gou Zhen) - Guan Hu

The Damned” (Les Damnes) - Roberto Minervini

L’Histoire de Souleymane - Boris Lojkine

Le Royaume - Julien Colonna

My Sunshine (Boku No Ohisama) - Hiroshi Okuyama

Norah - Tawfik Alzaidi

On Becoming a Guinea Fowl - Rungano Nyoni

Santosh - Sandhya Suri

September Says - Ariane Labed

The Shameless - Konstantin Bojanov

Viet and Nam - Truong Minh Quy

The Village Next to Paradise - Mo Harawe

Vingt Dieux! - Louise Courvoisier

Who Let the Dog Bite? (Le Proces du Chien) - Laetitia Dosch

Cannes Premiere

C’est Pas Moi - Leos Carax

En Fanfare (The Matching Bang) - Emmanuel Courcol

Everybody Loves Touda - Nabil Ayouch

Le Roman de Jim - Arnaud Larrieu and Jean-Marie Larrieu

Misericorde - Alain Guiraudie

Rendez-Vous Avec Pol Pot - Rithy Panh

Out of Competition

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga - George Miller

Horizon, an American Saga - Kevin Costner

Rumours - Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson, Guy Maddin

She’s Has No Name - Chan Peter Ho-Sun

Midnight Screenings

I, the Executioner - Seung Wan Ryoo

The Balconettes (Les Femmes au Balcon) - Noemie Merlant

The Surfer - Lorcan Finnegan

Twilight of the Warrior Walled In - Soi Cheang

Special Screenings

Apprendre - Claire Simon

The Beauty of Gaza (La Belle de Gaza) - Yolande Zauberman

Ernest Cole, Lost and Found - Raoul Peck

L’Invasion - Sergei Loznitsa

Le Fil - Daniel Auteuil

Where can I watch Cannes film festival 2024 movies?

While many of the movies showing at Cannes film festival 2024 won’t be available to watch in theaters or streaming online until after the festival has ended, we’ve already got you covered with a streaming guide. This includes the latest streaming details for every movie in all categories (in competition, out of competition, the opening act, Un Certain Regard, Cannes premieres, midnight screenings and special screenings).

Where To Watch Every Naruto Movie and TV Show in Order

Naruto is one of the longest-running and most popular anime of all time. Based on Masashi Kishimoto's manga of the same name, the series has captivated audiences with its story of one young ninja’s dream to become the Hokage of his village. However, with a two-part anime series, a spinoff series, and 11 anime movies , the Naruto franchise can be daunting to dive into. Hence, this guide will demonstrate where and how to watch every Naruto show and film in order.

The TV series kicked off in 2002 with Naruto , which follows Naruto Uzumaki, an orphaned boy who is ostracized by his village for having the Nine-Tailed Fox sealed in his body. Eager for acceptance, Uzumaki works to prove his skill as a ninja, eventually joining Kakashi Hatake’s Team 7 with Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno to complete missions and protect the village.

After Naruto concluded in 2007 with 220 episodes, Naruto Shippūden was released that same year. Naruto Shippūden is considered Part 2 of the anime series, serving as a direct sequel to the original series and following Uzumaki during his teenage years. The series begins with a two-year time skip, during which Uzumaki was training with ninjutsu master Jiraiya. Upon returning, he resumes his ninja missions with Team 7 and seeks to bring Sasuke home after the boy leaves, seeking revenge on his brother.

Interspersed throughout both series are 11 films; three premiered during Naruto’s run, while the latter eight premiered during Naruto Shippūden. Of all the films, only the 2014 movie, The Last: Naruto the Movie , is a canon in the series. The 2014 film, along with Boruto: Naruto The Movie , is among the most well-received films, as it largely leads into the Naruto spinoff series. Naruto The Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow and Road to Ninja: The Naruto Movie are also often heralded as fan favorites.

As mentioned above, the Naruto series received a spinoff series, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations , which focuses on the eponymous son of Naruto. The series’ first part concluded last year, while the second part, Boruto: Two Blue Vortex, is still awaiting a release date as the manga tries to get ahead of the show.

How to watch the Naruto franchise in chronological and release date order

Although the movies aren’t canon, they are meant to accompany the series and sometimes reference events from their complementary episodes. For those who don’t mind jumping between the shows and movies, the chronological order of the Naruto franchise is as follows:

Naruto Episodes 1 - 101

Naruto the Movie: Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow

Naruto Episodes 101 - 160

Naruto the Movie: Legend of the Stone of Gelel

Naruto Episodes 161 - 196

Naruto the Movie: Guardians of the Crescent Moon Kingdom

Naruto Episodes 197 - 220

Naruto Shippūden Episodes 1 - 32

Naruto Shippūden the Movie

Naruto Shippūden Episodes 33 - 71

Naruto Shippūden the Movie: Bonds

Naruto Shippūden Episodes 72 - 126

Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Will of Fire

Naruto Shippūden Episodes 127 - 143

Naruto Shippūden the Movie: The Lost Tower

Naruto Shippūden Episodes 144 - 196

Naruto Shippūden the Movie: Blood Prison

Naruto Shippūden Episodes 197 - 251

Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie

Naruto Shippūden Episodes 252 - 493

The Last: Naruto the Movie

Naruto Shippūden Episodes 494 - 500

Boruto: Naruto the Movie

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episodes 1 - 293

However, since the movies aren’t canon to the series, another option is to watch each series in full, followed by their respective films in release date order, as seen below.

Furiosa: 10 Best Anya Taylor-Joy Movies and TV Shows (and Where to Stream Them)

In 2021, Anya Taylor-Joy arrived at the Golden Globes with two nominations: One for her film Emma and the other for her hit miniseries The Queen’s Gambit . Later that night she won the Globe for The Queen’s Gambit. That same year she also received a SAG award and an Emmy nomination. Since then, Taylor-Joy has become one of the biggest names in Hollywood. But did you know she’s been starring in fantastic movies and TV series for almost a decade?

Check out our guide below to discover Anya Taylor-Joy’s best movies and TV shows so far and where to stream them online right now. We'll let you know which of her performances can be enjoyed on streaming services such as Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+. We'll also show you if there are any Anya Taylor-Joy movies to watch online for free.

Anya Taylor-Joy had her first big breakout role in 2015’s The VVitch . The movie centers around a family in the 1600s who have been banished from a Puritan village. Now forced to live in a remote homestead, the family battles with famine and starvation, pushing them to madness. Making everything even more dire… there might be a witch secretly watching the family, relishing in their downfall. The movie was a hit and cemented the young studio A24 as a real power player in Hollywood.

No list of Taylor-Joy’s best roles would be complete without The Queen’s Gambit , which served as her most notable role to date, launching her onto Hollywood’s A-List. In the acclaimed miniseries, she plays a young orphan who becomes a chess prodigy. But she also battles with depression and drug addiction. As her chess fame grows, so do her problems. The series won a boatload of awards, including Best Limited Series at the Emmys.

A role that many fans often forget about is Taylor-Joy’s turn as Casey Cooke in M. Night Shyamalan ’s hit film Split , and its sequel Glass . In Split, Taylor-Joy is kidnapped by a man suffering from multiple-personality disorder. Some of his personalities seek to harm, while others want to help. She returns for the sequel Glass, which also brought back Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson from Unbreakable, bringing all three superhumans together and concluding the Unbreakable trilogy.

In 2023, Taylor-Joy also had a prominent voice role in The Super Mario Bros. Movie , where she portrayed the iconic Princess Peach. The movie brought tons of famous Nintendo characters to life, like Mario, Luigi, Donkey Kong, Bowser, and more. It was also a massive blockbuster hit, grossing $1.3 billion at the box office. Nintendo has also announced that the cast will return for a sequel in 2026, so Mario fans have a lot to look forward to.

Where can I watch Anya Taylor-Joy movies and TV shows online?

Looking for more of Anya Taylor-Joy’s best roles after watching Furiosa ? Then check out our streaming guide below to find out where you can watch her best movies and TV shows. This includes all the latest streaming details for viewers in the United States.

Where To Watch the 10 Best Michael Bay Movies, Ranked

From Bad Boys to Transformers , Michael Bay is the director behind some of the most well-known action franchises and film series. While critics often erroneously reduce his work to little more than explosions and formulaic action heroes, Bay’s craftsmanship and technical filmmaking skills are paralleled by few in the industry. All of his films have a distinct style and demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of every aspect of filmmaking, from set scenery to camera speed and angles.

For those interested in the films that best illustrate Bay’s skill as a director, this guide will explore his 10 best movies and where to watch them.

In recent years, Bay has shifted more to producing. He is the producer behind two of the year's most-anticipated movies: A Quiet Place: Day One and Transformers One . For the purposes of this article, though, we’ll be focusing on the films that gained him prominence as a director.

One of Michael Bay’s most enduring films is the one that started his career: Bad Boys . The 1995 buddy cop comedy starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence earned praise for its frantic pace, the dynamic between Smith and Lawrence, the extended action sequences, and the hilarious tale of two reckless detectives searching for missing narcotics. It was a substantial enough commercial success to earn three sequels, although Bay only returned to direct Bad Boys II , which further ramped up the action, dark humor, and stunning visual effects.

After his directorial debut, Bay followed up with arguably the best film of his career, The Rock . Boasting a stacked cast including Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery, the film tells the thrilling story of an Alcatraz break-in. It boasts some of the most extravagant action sequences of any Bay movie and runs at a pace that keeps the adrenaline pumping for every minute of its runtime.

Meanwhile, Pain & Gain and 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi are notable as Bay’s most mature and sophisticated movies. Pain & Gain, starring Mark Wahlberg , Anthony Mackie, and Dwayne Johnson , sees Bay expertly craft his filmmaking to convey the satirical and dark tone of the story, while 13 Hours thrillingly and heartbreakingly captures the 2012 Benghazi attacks.

Bay’s penchant for groundbreaking visual effects and larger-than-life action plots was also well-suited for the exhilarating and visually stunning Transformers. At the same time, his love of breakneck pacing elevated the Jake Gyllenhaal -led Ambulance to one unforgettable car chase thriller.

If you’re looking for more unforgettable action thrillers in Bay’s signature filmmaking style, read on for his ten best movies, ranked from the best.

Where to Watch Every Bad Boys Movies in Order

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence returned to their iconic roles as Mike and Marcus in 2024's Bad Boys: Ride or Die . It marked the fourth film in the franchise and latest entry in the series since the finale of the spin-off show LA’s Finest in late 2020. If you want to find out where to watch every Bad Boys movie, check out our list below which provides information on where to stream the movies on platforms like Netflix , Max , Prime Video and more!

The first Bad Boys movie premiered in 1995, and on top of being a blockbuster hit for Smith and Lawrence, it also served as the breakout role for actress Téa Leoni. In the film, Smith and Lawrence play two police detectives in Miami who are trying to find a massive cache of heroin that’s been stolen from the department’s evidence locker. Things get even more complicated when they’re forced to provide protection for a woman who witnessed a mob hit. The movie grossed almost $66 million in North America alone, making it a bona fide hit.

Thanks to the home rental market, the film continued to be popular, and in 2003 it received a sequel: Bad Boys 2 . This time around, Smith and Lawrence were joined by more famous faces like Gabrielle Union and Michael Shannon. In the film, Mike and Marcus are investigating a drug trafficking ring and Mike is secretly seeing Marcus’ younger sister Syd (Union). But neither of the guys know that Syd is actually an undercover agent for the DEA. The dynamic between the three stars really helped keep the sequel feeling fresh and the movie became a smash hit, grossing more than $273 million at the box office.

The franchise then went dormant for almost 20 years, returning in 2019 with the spin-off series LA’s Finest . In the show, Union reprises her role as Syd and is joined by Jessica Alba who plays her partner at the LAPD. Sadly, the show premiered as a Spectrum Original back when the cable company was attempting to create original content. With hardly anyone knowing about the service or what Spectrum was, the show suffered from poor viewership. Just three years later, Spectrum announced it wouldn’t produce more shows after its handful of original series all performed poorly. The good news is that LA’s Finest has been given a second life on other streaming services.

In 2020, Bad Boys finally returned for a third film with Bad Boys for Life . Mike and Marcus return and encounter a vengeful enemy from their past who is hellbent on avenging his father (who was sent to prison after being caught by the duo). Released in January 2020, Bad Boys for Life was one of the only major blockbusters to be released in 2020 before the COVID pandemic shut down theaters around the world. The movie continued performing well in cinemas even through the weekend of March 7-8, just a few days before lockdown began. Still, despite COVID, Bad Boys for Life remains the highest-grossing film in the franchise, earning an impressive $426 million.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die found Miami's Finest turning into Miami's Most Wanted as the duo are on the run from the law after being accused of murdering their old Police Chief.

Where to watch all the Bad Boys movies online

The hilarious Bad Boys have been a beloved buddy cop duo for decades. Find out where you can stream the entire Bad Boys franchise in the United States using our guide below!

Where to Watch Guillermo del Toro’s Best Movies and TV Shows

Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro is known for many things – he’s noted for his unique style that often takes inspiration from dark fairytales. He’s also an integral figure in the horror genre thanks to his numerous horror films (plus, he often cites classic horror movies as his inspirations), and in more recent years, he’s become known as an award-winning director who isn’t just popular with genre fans, but who can hold his own against the Hollywood greats.

If you want to watch del Toro’s best movies and TV shows, use our guide below to find out where they are streaming.

Guillermo del Toro’s trademark film is easily Pan’s Labyrinth . While it wasn’t del Toro’s first movie, it was the first to earn him international acclaim. In the film, a young girl escapes her domineering stepfather by entering into a fairytale world…but not everything about the realm is good. She encounters both light and dark, good and bad, and friends and enemies. The movie was lauded for its gorgeous visuals and raw, emotional story. At the 79th Oscars, Pan’s Labyrinth received six nominations and won three awards, including for Best Cinematography.

But long before Pan’s Labyrinth, one of del Toro’s earliest hits was the sci-fi horror film Mimic . The movie takes place in New York City, where a deadly disease spread by cockroaches is killing hundreds of children. To stop the spread, scientists bioengineer a new bug that secretes a toxin that kills off the cockroaches. But some years later, the new bugs have continued to evolve and are now hunting humans. Though a moderate success in theaters, Mimic became a huge hit in the rental market and is now a cult classic among horror fans.

More recently, the film that most fans know del Toro for is The Shape of Water . At the 90th Oscars, the movie was nominated for a whopping 13 awards and won two major categories: Best Director for del Toro and Best Picture. The film centers around a lonely employee of a secret government facility during the Cold War. One day she discovers that the compound is hiding a dark secret… a mysterious sea creature that’s being kept trapped in a tank. Heavily inspired by Creature from the Black Lagoon, the movie took horror elements and blended them with a love story.

del Toro also used his love of monsters to create another hit movie: Pacific Rim . Heavily inspired by Godzilla and other Japanese monster movies, the film sees humanity fight off towering monsters known as kaijus using giant mechs called jaegers. Stylistically, it’s pretty different from most of del Toro’s films, but it very much plays into the filmmaker’s love of classic monster movies. For fans of the MonsterVerse , Pacific Rim is a must-watch.

Looking for more great del Toro movies? Check out our guide below to find out where you can watch more of his best films (and even some hit TV shows).

Where To Watch Every DC Animated Movie in Order

Most viewers are familiar with the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). However, if one wants to dive even deeper into the world of DC Comics, consider exploring the enormous collection of DC animated movies. Animated film adaptations of DC Comics have been produced since 1993, with multiple cinematic universes and continuities being developed over the years. Delving into the vast collection may be daunting to newcomers, but this guide will break down where to watch every DC animated movie in order.

The oldest shared universe is the DC Animated Universe (DCAU), which kicked off in 1992 with the TV show Batman: The Animated Series . The series soon inspired the theatrical film Batman: Mask of Phantasm in 1993, with Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprising their roles as Bruce Wayne (a.k.a. Batman ) and The Joker, respectively. Ultimately, the DCAU continuity would consist of eight films, including the critically acclaimed Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker .

While the DCAU was the first continuity, another major universe that has sprung up is the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU). It is one of the largest continuities, consisting of 17 movies, beginning with Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox . The film is a unique crossover film that sees the return of voice actors like Conroy’s Batman and Nathan Fillion’s Green Lantern while introducing some new voice actors, including Michael B. Jordan as Victor Stone.

All 17 movies in the DCAMU are loosely based on the New 52 storylines from the comics, which explore the rebooted DC timeline following Flashpoint. It heavily focuses on the Justice League, Batman, and Batman’s son, Damian. Some of its most well-received films include Batman vs. Robin , Batman: Bad Blood , The Death of Superman , and Justice League Dark: Apokolips War .

Another large universe is Origins, a group of movies that aren’t necessarily interconnected but are lumped together because, as the title suggests, they focus on DC heroes’ origin stories. Origins comprises 14 movies, including Batman: Year One and Wonder Woman (2009). Then, there are many standalone films that don’t belong to any specific universe but are based on DC Comics. These movies can be pretty fun, such as Batman vs. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and The Batman vs. Dracula , since they’re not confined to any one continuity. Like Origins, these largely non-related standalone films are grouped into their own universe: Animated Elseworlds.

There are also two smaller universes known as the Tomorrowverse and Arkhamverse. Tomorrowverse is the successor to the DCAMU, while the Arhamverse consists of one movie and the Batman: Arkham video game series.

How to watch the DC Animated Movies in Order

You can either watch DC animated movies by universe or by release date. Given the multiple continuities, watching by universe is the closest one can get to chronological order. Meanwhile, there’s no set order to watch the universes in. However, it’s largely agreed upon Origins is the best to start with since it introduces so many DC heroes. Afterward, we recommend going with the more recent DCAMU before moving on to the three smaller universes and concluding with the standalone movies in Elseworlds.

Find out how to view the movies by universe below, followed by how to stream them in release date order.

Batman: Year One
Batman: Gotham Knight
Wonder Woman (2009)
Green Lantern: First Flight
Green Lantern: Emerald Knights
All-Star Superman
DC Showcase: Superman / Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam
Superman / Batman: Public Enemies
Superman / Batman: Apocalypse
Superman: Unbound
Batman: Under the Red Hood
Batman: Death in the Family
Justice League: Crisis on Two Earths
Justice League: Doom
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox
Justice League: War
Son of Batman
Justice League: Throne of Atlantis
Batman vs. Robin
Batman: Bad Blood
Justice League vs. Teen Titans
Justice League Dark
Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay
The Death of Superman
Constantine: City of Demons
Reign of the Supermen
Batman: Hush
Wonder Woman: Bloodlines
Justice League Dark: Apokolips War
Constantine: House of Mystery
Batman: Mask of the Phantasm
The Batman / Superman Movie: World’s Finest
Batman & Mr. Freeze: SubZero
Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker
Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
Superman: Brainiac Attacks
Batman and Harley Quinn
Justice League vs. The Fatal Five

The Tomorrowverse

Superman: Man of Tomorrow
Justice Society: World War II
Batman: The Long Halloween Part One
Batman: The Long Halloween Part Two
Green Lantern: Beware My Power
Legion of Super-Heroes
Justice League: Warworld
Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths - Part One
Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths - Part Two

The Arkhamverse

Batman: Assault on Arkham

Animated Elseworlds

The Batman vs. Dracula
Superman: Doomsday
Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo
Justice League: The New Frontier
Superman vs. The Elite
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2
Justice League: Gods and Monsters
Batman: The Killing Joke
Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders
Batman vs Two-Face
Batman: Gotham by Gaslight
Batman Ninja
Teen Titans Go! To the Movies
Batman vs Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans
Superman: Red Son
Deathstroke: Knights & Dragons: The Movie
Batman: Soul of the Dragon
Catwoman: Hunted
Batman and Superman: Battle of the Super Sons
Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham

Where To Watch the Men in Black Movies in Order

Men in Black is over 25 years old yet still remains a sci-fi cult classic. The ‘90s movie kicked off a film series as well as a contemporary spinoff. For those interested in the memorable franchise, which still has the potential to expand, this guide will demonstrate where and how to stream the Men in Black franchise in order.

The franchise began as a comic book series from Aircel Comics, which is now owned by Marvel Comics . The comics were inspired by the Men in Black (MIB) conspiracy theory, which posits that secret government agents use tactics like memory-wiping to prevent knowledge of UFOs or other extraterrestrial occurrences from reaching the public. In 1997, director Barry Sonnenfeld and writer Ed Solomon put a comedic spin on the MIB theory.

Men in Black sees Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones take on the roles of Agent J and Agent K, respectively, as they navigate the extraterrestrial-investigating titular organization and form a close bond while saving the world. The movie was a major critical and commercial hit, with its witty script, palpable chemistry between Smith and Lee, and stunning blend of practical effects and CG elements.

By 2002, Men in Black II arrived on the big screen, with Smith and Jones reprising their iconic roles. Rosario Dawson , Johnny Knoxville, Rip Torn, and Michael Jackson also appeared in the film. Once again, it was a significant box office hit, though it suffered from mixed critical reviews for veering too close to the original story.

Fortunately, Men in Black 3 got the series back on track by introducing a time-traveling element. Agent J travels back in time to save Agent K’s life. In the process, he meets the young Agent K (Josh Brolin) from the 1960s. Although it was a well-made, refreshing, and humorous sci-fi movie, it didn’t quite eclipse the original. Still, the moderate critical and box office success should’ve been enough to move forward with Men in Black 4.

Instead, the franchise was rebooted in 2019 with the spinoff Men in Black: International . The film did not feature Smith or Jones; instead, it introduced two new agents, Agent H ( Chris Hemsworth ) and Agent M (Tessa Thompson), as they investigated a mole in the agency. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the same without Smith and Jones, with many feeling the spinoff and reboot weren’t necessary, resulting in mostly negative reviews.

So far, no news has arisen of further movies in the franchise, although its success and enduring legacy mean the door is never wholly closed on Men in Black 4.

For those interested in diving into the memorable sci-fi series, here’s how to watch the Men in Black franchise in release date order, including the animated series (although it's not canon to the movies).

The Best Luca Guadagnino Movies to Watch After Challengers (And Where to Stream Them)

Challengers has become one of the hottest movies of the spring thanks to a great performance from Zendaya and the bubbling queer sexual tension that director Luca Guadagnino is so famous for. If you loved the pulpy, exciting melodrama of Challengers , check out our guide below to find out where you can watch more of Guadagnino’s best movies and TV shows.

Luca Guadagnino began his career in Italy and has directed everything from commercials to music videos, documentaries, short films, and feature-length movies. His first major hit around the globe was 2009’s I Am Love . An official selection at the Sundance, Berlin, Venice, and Toronto film festivals, the movie centers around a woman (Tilda Swinton) who begins a new life in Italy and marries into a wealthy family. But soon, she begins having an affair with one of her son’s friends. Filled with sexual tension, lies, and lust, the movie is salacious and captivating.

Arguably the most famous Guadagnino film is Call Me By Your Name . In the film, a 24-year-old (Armie Hammer) arrives in Italy to help a professor with a project during the early ‘80s. Soon, he begins to fall in love with the professor’s 17-year-old son ( Timothée Chalamet ). The film received praise for its sexual tension and emotional exploration of what life was like for closeted men who fall in love. Call Me By Your Name received ample amounts of praise and was even nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Chalamet would team up with the director again a few years later for Bones and All .

Guadagnino also directed the 2018 remake of Suspiria , a film about a reclusive German dance school that’s actually run by a coven of bloodthirsty witches. Despite being a horror movie, Suspiria was praised for its cinematography and gorgeous visuals. It also had an all-star cast that included Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth, and Dakota Johnson .

Discover where to stream more of Luca Guadagnino’s best movies (and even his HBO miniseries We Are Who We Are ) using our guide below.

9 Best Tennis Movies to Watch After Challengers (and Where to Stream Them)

Maybe it’s because it stars Zendaya , or perhaps it’s the now-infamous ménage à trois scene, but Challengers has stolen the spotlight as one of the buzziest movies of the spring. If you liked it, check out our guide below to discover more great tennis movies you can watch right now. From a biopic starring Emma Stone to a Kirsten Dunst rom-com, and more.

What are some of the best tennis movies?

If you want to watch a great tennis movie, one of the most notable is 2017’s Battle of the Sexes . The film tells the true story of when Billie Jean King played a match against tennis legend Bobby Riggs. King ended up beating Riggs, which became a monumental event in the tennis world, proving that women could hold their own against the men and should be taken seriously in the sport. Emma Stone played King and Steve Carrell portrayed Riggs. In 2001, a made-for-TV movie called When Billie Beat Bobby covered the same event, this time with Holly Hunter portraying King. The movie was well-received and Hunter even earned an Emmy nomination for her role.

Another high-profile tennis biopic is 2021’s King Richard , which starred Will Smith as Richard Williams, the father of tennis superstars Venus and Serena. The movie follows the Williams sisters as they grow up under the watchful eye of their dad who is determined to turn them into tennis pros, no matter how hard it might be. The film was nominated for six Oscars, with Smith winning for Best Actor. However, that same night Smith had the infamous “Oscars slap” incident and was promptly banned from the Academy Awards for a decade.

For a more romanticized tennis film, check out 2004’s Wimbledon . The movie stars Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany as two tennis players at Wimbledon. Bettany is a fading star, while Dunst is a rising tennis competitor. The two meet, sparks fly, drama is had, and the duo must navigate how to win their matches despite all the distractions of their relationship. The movie was loaded with other stars too, like Sam Neill and Jon Favreau.

Another movie set in Wimbledon is 7 Days in Hell . The film is based on the unbelievably true story of the longest match in tennis history. Played in 2010 between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut, a series of constant ties forced the game to be played for more than 11 hours over three days. The movie starred Andy Samberg and Kit Harington as two fictitious tennis players (who are based on Isner and Mahut) who get locked into a neverending tennis match.

Where can I watch the best tennis movies streaming online?

There are tons more excellent tennis movies and series out there, including documentaries. If you want to watch more great tennis action, check out our guide below to find out where you can stream them all. We'll also show you where you can watch the best tennis movies online for free.

The 10 Best Jason Momoa Films, Ranked (And Where To Watch Them)

Jason Momoa has quickly become one of the most recognizable actors in Hollywood, boasting roles in numerous high-profile franchises, including Dune , the DCEU , Game of Thrones , and Fast & Furious. He will also star in the Minecraft movie next year alongside Jack Black . For viewers who wish to acquaint themselves with Momoa’s work before his next projects arrive, this guide will rank his ten best movies and detail where to watch them.

Momoa’s first major film role was as the titular character in Conan the Barbarian (2011), a reimagining of the film of the same name starring Arnold Schwarzenegger . While Momoa’s acting was praised, the movie itself was a critical and commercial failure. Fortunately, Conan the Barbarian didn’t derail his career.

He bounced back with the underrated Bullet to the Head in 2012, where he proved his skill as an action star alongside Sylvester Stallone . However, it wasn’t until 2018 that he had his breakthrough with Aquaman .

Aquaman became the DCEU’s highest-grossing film to date, surpassing $1 billion at the box office. Momoa received high praise for embodying the half-human, half-Atlantean superhero Arthur Curry. He reprised his role as Curry in Zack Snyder’s Justice League , as well as Aquaman’s sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom , which failed to match the success of its predecessor.

Momoa also starred in Braven in 2018, elevating the film beyond a typical action-thriller with his emotional and fierce performance as a man desperate to save his family.

By 2021, Momoa had joined another major franchise when he appeared in Denis Villeneuve ’s critically acclaimed Dune . He held his own alongside A-list actors like Timothée Chalamet and Oscar Isaac while portraying Duncan Idaho, one of Paul Atreides’ most beloved mentors.

The following year, he debuted in the Fast & Furious series as Dante Reyes in Fast X . Despite the film receiving mixed reviews, Momoa’s unhinged villain role received unanimous praise, marking one of his career-best performances.

Ranking his movies is a bit difficult as some of his best performances were in movies that weren’t very well-received by critics. Hence, this list considers both the quality and significance of his role in each film, as well as the film's overall quality.

Here are Jason Momoa’s ten best performances, ranked from the best, and where to stream them online.

Where To Watch Every Marvel TV Show in Order

Marvel has recently been expanding its small screen presence through several Disney+ original series, which are canon to the Marvel Cinematic Universe . More Marvel TV series are on the way, including some, like Daredevil: Born Again , that tie into Marvel’s pre-Disney+ era. For those looking to catch up on every Marvel-based TV show, this guide will demonstrate where and how to watch all the series in order.

The Marvel shows canon to the MCU began with the Disney+ series WandaVision in 2021. However, there were several important Marvel series before 2021 — they just weren’t produced by Marvel Studios. Marvel’s live-action TV presence started with ABC’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in 2013, which ran for seven seasons and achieved high critical acclaim. Although not considered canon to the MCU, it does center on Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who first appeared in Iron Man . MCU star Samuel L. Jackson also appears as Nick Fury in the series.

The success of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. led ABC to greenlight Agent Carter , another non-canon spinoff focused on the MCU character Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). Despite receiving stellar reviews, Agent Carter was canceled after two seasons. Meanwhile, the third ABC series, Inhumans , also faced speedy cancellation after being critically panned.

Netflix also invested in several Marvel series from 2015 to 2019. The streamer created what is known as the Defenders saga, consisting of six interconnected series. Of the series, the most critically acclaimed were Daredevil and Jessica Jones . Charlie Cox’s performance as Daredevil and Vincent D’Onofrio’s performance as Kingpin were so beloved that Marvel decided to integrate the characters into the MCU, despite the Defenders series technically not being canon. Cox and D’Onofrio will soon star in the Daredevil reboot Daredevil: Born Again. Hulu, FX, Fox, and Freeform have also briefly dabbled in Marvel series, with shows like Runaways and Cloak & Dagger .

By 2021, the MCU decided to move to the small screen with the Emmy-winning WandaVision, which saw Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany reprise their roles as the Scarlet Witch and Vision, respectively. In total, the MCU has released ten original Disney+ series. Of those series, What If…? and the Tom Hiddleston -led Loki were popular enough to warrant season 2 renewals. Future series include Agatha , Ironheart , and Eyes of Wakanda.

It’s impossible to watch every Marvel series in chronological order, given that not all of them occur in the same universe. Hence, the best way to watch is in the order of release date. See below for where to watch every live-action or MCU canon Marvel TV show (and TV special) in release date order.

Where To Watch Every Movie in the After Series in Order

The After film series is set to expand soon, with a prequel and fifth sequel reportedly in development. Based on the book series of the same name by Anna Todd, the movies have garnered attention for dramatically capturing a complicated modern college romance. For those interested in catching up on the series before the prequel, Before, releases, this guide will demonstrate where and how to watch every After movie in order.

After premiered in 2019 and featured Josephine Langford in the lead role of Tessa Young. Hero Fiennes Tiffin, Ralph Fiennes's nephew, starred opposite Langford as Hardin Scott. Fiennes Tiffin had previously portrayed young Tom Riddle in the Harry Potter film series . After follows Tessa, an innocent freshman college student who finds her life upended by Hardin, the manipulative and selfish “bad boy” she finds herself inexplicably falling for.

The movie received mixed reviews, as it drew criticism for being a rather generic romance but was praised for its drama and beautiful cinematography. It was also a hit at the box office, earning nearly $70 million worldwide on a budget of just $14 million.

Hence, a sequel, After We Collided , soon arrived. Langford and Fiennes Tiffin reprise their roles as the young lovers who re-enter a tumultuous relationship after regretting their breakup. It received slightly more negative reviews than the first. Still, it was a comparable commercial success to the original, resulting in three more sequels: After We Fell , After Ever Happy , and After Everything .

However, critical and commercial reception continued to fall, with After We Fell and After Ever Happy receiving a score of 0% on Rotten Tomatoes and box office earnings dropping to around $20 million. Still, After Everything was greenlit. It was the first movie to boast an original story outside of Todd’s books and was advertised as the final film in the series. Although it received a limited theatrical release, it made $10 million at the box office and received relatively favorable audience reviews.

Soon, After Everything director Castille Landon confirmed the movie wasn’t the last chapter in the series, as a prequel was in development. Additionally, another untitled sequel is in development, inspired by the epilogue of the After Ever Happy book, which will focus on Hardin’s and Tessa’s children. It is believed the prequel and sequel will be the first movies without Langford or Fiennes Tiffin.

For those interested in catching up with the series before the prequel and sequel, here is where to watch the After movies in release date order.

Where To Watch Every Pixar Animation Studios Movie in Order

Pixar Animation Studios is one of the most influential and successful animation studios of all time, having made unparalleled contributions to the film industry in computer animation. The studio has produced 27 feature films and is gearing up to expand its film slate with Inside Out 2 , which is set to release on June 14, and is one of the most highly anticipated films of 2024 . Read on to discover where to stream every Pixar Animation Studios film.

Pixar began as a part of Lucasfilm’s Computer Division. Under Lucasfilm, it created the first wholly computer-animated sequence in a feature film by designing a scene where a planet transforms in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan . By 1986, Steve Jobs bought the Computer Division and formed it into the independent company Pixar, which quickly began collaborating with Disney.

Out of Pixar and Disney’s collaboration, the very first computer-animated feature film, Toy Story , was born. The computer-animated movie was released in 1995 and explored a world where toys like Woody ( Tom Hanks ) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) come to life. It was like nothing viewers had ever seen before and quickly became the most important film of its kind, setting a precedent for further computer-animated features.

Since then, Pixar has stayed on top of the computer animation field, with every film boasting cutting-edge technology, innovation, and creativity. Nearly every Pixar film has achieved high critical acclaim, but a few stand out especially. Finding Nemo took home the studio's first Best Animated Feature win at the Oscars, while The Incredibles was the first wholly animated film to earn the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.

Cars became a profitable trilogy and introduced Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson), one of the most iconic and recognizable Pixar characters. Meanwhile, the emotional and adventurous Up became the first Pixar film and second animated film in history to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Toy Story 3 soon became the third animated film to earn a Best Picture nomination and broke $1 billion at the box office.

Its movies have only become more sophisticated, with films like Inside Out , Coco , Soul , and Turning Red seeking to celebrate girlhood and other cultures and exploring concepts like grief and mortality. With Inside Out 2 poised to explore emotions in puberty and raise awareness for struggles with anxiety in adolescence, the studio could be adding another critically acclaimed film to its slate.

For those looking to catch up on Pixar’s movies before Inside Out 2, here is how to watch them in release date order from oldest to newest.

Where to Watch the Entire Sonic Cinematic Universe in Order

Sonic is the ultimate hero and the undefeated underdog. He single-handedly saved SEGA in the '90s, and when the first trailer for his live-action 2020 film debuted, it became the center of jokes and memes thanks to Sonic’s terrifyingly real animation. But after the movie received tons of praise from audiences and grossed more than $319 million at the box office, one thing became clear: Sonic is no joke. Check out our guide to find out where you can watch every movie and show in the Sonic Cinematic Universe in order. We'll also show you if there are options to watch Sonic movies legally for free in the United States.

What is the Sonic Cinematic Universe?

A lot of fans are probably wondering what exactly the “Sonic cinematic universe” is. It’s all the films, shows, and shorts that take place in the new live-action era of Sonic. Believe it or not, Sonic has actually had quite a few shows throughout his three decades – like Sonic the Hedgehog (1993), Sonic Underground (1999), and Sonic X (2003). So it’s important to differentiate that the new franchise doesn’t include those older entries.

So, where does the Sonic Cinematic Universe start? That would be with 2020’s Sonic the Hedgehog , where Sonic uses a golden ring to transport himself to Earth. But once Dr. Robotnik discovers his location, Sonic is forced to escape with the help of his new friend (played excellently by James Marsden).

Thanks to the movie’s success, it was followed by Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in 2022. This time around, Dr. Robotnik is back for revenge and audiences get to see more iconic Sonic characters brought to life like Knuckles and Tails. The mid-credits scene also introduces the villainous Shadow, who is going to play a large role in Sonic the Hedgehog 3 later in 2024…and be voiced by none other than Keanu Reeves.

There’s also the spin-off series Knuckles , which premiered in April 2024. The show centers around Knuckles, who helps the dimwitted town sheriff by teaching him the ways of the echidna warriors. The show features a fantastic cast that includes Hollywood veterans like Christopher Lloyd and Stockard Channing, as well as both Tika Sumpter and Ben Schwartz reprising their roles from the film series. In the franchise’s timeline, Knuckles fills the gap between Sonic 2 and Sonic 3.

There’s also a non-canonical short film Sonic Drone Home which is technically part of the new Sonic Cinematic Universe as well. The short was released as part of the special features on the Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Blu-Ray and follows Sonic, Knuckles, and Tails as they encounter a (somewhat evil) scrapyard robot who loves poetry. Luckily, the short has been uploaded to YouTube for anyone who wants to watch it.

How can I watch the Sonic Cinematic Universe online?

You can find out where to watch every entry in the Sonic Cinematic Universe using our guide below. This includes every official entry into the live action Sonic movie series in release order, and every streaming option currently available to viewers in the United States.

Where to Watch the Entire Hotel Transylvania Series In Order

In 2012, Hotel Transylvania became an unexpected hit film. Released at the end of September (one of the worst months for cinemas), the movie ended up grossing over $358 million globally. Since then, three more films and a TV series have been released in the franchise. Check out our guide below to find out where to watch the entire Hotel Transylvania franchise in order.

The original Hotel Transylvania film starred a huge array of Saturday Night Live alums, like Adam Sandler , Andy Samberg, and Molly Shannon, along with other big names like Selena Gomez. The movie centers around a monsters-only hotel in Transylvania run by the vampire (and overprotective single-father), Count Dracula. But everything changes when Johnny, a human, checks into the hotel, unaware of who inhabits it. Things go even more awry when he starts to fall in love with Dracula’s daughter.

Then, in 2015 the sequel Hotel Transylvania 2 began by showing that Johnny and Dracula’s daughter Mavis got married and had a baby. But, questions arise about whether the baby will be a vampire or a human. The entire original cast returned for the sequel, and more comedic actors joined in on the fun too, like Mel Brooks, Nick Offerman, and Megan Mullally. The movie became an even bigger hit than the original, grossing more than $474 million globally.

From 2017-2020, there was also Hotel Transylvania: The Series . The show is actually a prequel to the first movie and follows a younger Mavis who has adventures throughout the hotel with her friends. The animated series had a different voice cast from the films and ran for 52 episodes. For hardcore fans of the franchise it’s a fun addition to watch, but seeing the show isn’t necessary to enjoy the films.

In Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation , the gang desperately needs a vacation, so they book a cruise. Little do they know, the infamous vampire hunter Van Helsing is onboard along with his great-granddaughter Ericka. But, despite the Van Helsings' desire to kill Dracula… Ericka finds herself falling in love. Once again, the entire main cast reprised their roles, this time joined by newcomers like Chrissy Teigen and Kathryn Hahn.

The fourth film, Hotel Transylvania: Transformania , was released as an Amazon Prime exclusive in 2022. True to the movie’s title, this time around all the humans become monsters and vice versa. The only way for Johnny and Dracula to turn back to their old selves is to finally love each other and see each other as family.

Currently, there’s no news about a potential fifth film (though there are a bunch of fake fan-made trailers on YouTube). Hopefully fans will get a fifth installment, but until then, check out our guide below to find out where you can stream all four Hotel Transylvania movies and the prequel series.

How to Watch The Matrix Movies in Order (and Where to Watch Them)

In this guide, we’ll show you how to watch The Matrix franchise in order and show you where you can watch them on popular streaming services in the United States. We’ll also let you know if there are options to stream The Matrix movies legally for free.

In 1999, The Matrix became an overnight sensation when the directorial duo Lana and Lilly Wachowski unveiled their kung fu science fiction classic to the world. Starring Keanu Reeves as Neo, Carrie-Anne Moss as Trinity and Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus, this groundbreaking movie grossed $460 million worldwide at the box office on a $63 million budget. This marked the beginning of an ongoing blockbuster franchise that is still beloved by fans today.

The Matrix franchise now includes a trilogy ( The Matrix , The Matrix Reloaded , The Matrix Revolutions ), an anthology of anime short films ( The Animatrix ) and a soft meta-reboot ( The Matrix Resurrections ). There are also tentative plans for an upcoming fifth installment by Warner Bros. Whether you’re watching The Matrix for the first time or rewatching the classic sci-fi franchise, this guide shows you where to watch them all online and the different viewing orders (release vs chronological).

How to watch The Matrix movies in order

If you only want to watch The Matrix feature-length movies, you can watch them chronologically in exactly the same way they were released.

The Matrix (1999)

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

The Matrix Revolutions (2003)

The Matrix: Resurrections (2021)

This is a great viewing order if you are new to the franchise and want to enjoy the main storyline without getting overwhelmed by the franchise’s expanded universe of short films and canonical video games. However, the Wachowskis and Warner Bros. have always been ambitious when expanding The Matrix as a multimedia franchise. They have released several canonical stories in video games (Enter the Matrix, The Matrix Online and Path of Neo) and The Animatrix. In particular, The Animatrix offers some of the franchise’s best storylines that you won’t want to miss. So, if you’re ready to ‘take the red pill’ and go deeper, here’s how to watch the franchise in its entirety.

How to watch entire The Matrix franchise in chronological order

While watching the Matrix movies in order isn’t too complicated, this becomes more difficult if you want to watch the entire story unfold in every movie, short film and video game. Technically, The Matrix video games Enter the Matrix, The Path of Neo and The Matrix Online are all canonical, so we’ve included these in our complete Matrix timeline. Similarly, the short films included in The Animatrix anthology take place at various times throughout the story.

The Animatrix: The Second Renaissance, Part I and II

The Animatrix: A Detective Story

The Animatrix: Kid's Story

The Animatrix: Final Flight of the Osiris

Enter the Matrix – Video game

The Matrix Reloaded

The Matrix Revolutions

The Matrix: Path of Neo – Video game

The Matrix Online: The Matrix Online – Video game

The Animatrix: Beyond

The Matrix: Resurrections

The Animatrix: World Record – Exact timeframe unknown

The Animatrix: Matriculated – Exact timeframe unknown

The Animatrix: Program – Exact timeframe unknown

The Animatrix: The Second Renaissance, Part I and II takes place during the human/machine war in the mid-21st century. According to Morpheus’ estimations, everything from The Animatrix: A Detective Story until The Animatrix: Beyond then takes place circa 2199. The Matrix: Resurrections picks up the story 18 years later. Three Animatrix shorts have no discernable timeframe, so the best option is to watch those last.

The Matrix documentaries

The Matrix Revisited (2001)

Another important release for Matrix completists is The Matrix Revisited. This 2001 documentary shows the making of the first movie in 1999, revealing how many of the stunts were performed and explaining the movie’s revolutionary CGI techniques.

Where can I watch The Matrix movies in release order?

Below you can find the latest streaming information for every Matrix movie. You can check each movie’s availability on streaming services and find out if they are available online.

Where To Watch Every Fifty Shades of Grey Movie in Order

Shortly after becoming one of the fastest-selling adult paperbacks of all time, E. L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey earned a film adaptation . The film was a major commercial success, leading to the whole book series being adapted into a movie trilogy. This guide will demonstrate where and how viewers can watch and stream the entire Fifty Shades of Grey series in order.

The first movie in the series, Fifty Shades of Grey , premiered in 2015, starring Dakota Johnson in the lead role of Anastasia “Ana” Steele and Jamie Dornan in the role of Christian Grey. It is often credited with kickstarting both Johnson and Dornan’s careers. Like the book, the film follows Ana’s experiences as she finds herself falling for the billionaire businessman Christian, though his interest in BDSM complicates their relationship.

Similar to the books, Fifty Shades of Grey received mixed-to-negative reviews but was a major commercial hit, grossing $381 million on a budget of $55 million. Although many disagree on the movie’s quality and how it chooses to frame BDSM, it has garnered widespread attention for tackling topics considered “taboo” and highlighting women’s sexuality.

Hence, it wasn’t long before the sequel, Fifty Shades Darker , was greenlit, with Johnson and Dornan returning. Luke Grimes and Rita Ora also returned to reprise their roles as Mia and Elliott Grey, respectively. Anticipation for this movie was relatively high, especially since James’ husband, Niall Leonard, signed on to write the script. The sequel sees the story heat up as Christian’s past comes back to haunt him while he tries to rekindle his relationship with Ana. Although Fifty Shades Darker received even poorer reviews than the original, earning just an 11% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it matched the original’s commercial success.

In 2018, the final movie in the series, Fifty Shades Freed , premiered. Johnson, Dornan, Grimes, and Ora returned while Leonard wrote the script again. The plot allows viewers to see the culmination of Christian and Ana’s relationship. Like its predecessor, the final film was also critically panned but proved a box office success. Despite its mixed reception, the series’ subject matter ensures the conversation and interest around it remains ongoing.

For viewers wishing to delve into the erotica series, here is where to watch it in order. There is only one viewing order, as the chronological and release date orders are the same.

Where to Watch Mad Max Movies in Order – A Streaming Guide

Check out our guide to watching all the Mad Max movies online including 1979's original film, Tom Hardy in Fury Road and the Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga prequel in 2024 starring Anya Taylor-Joy . Here you can find out how to watch every Mad Max movie in order (chronological vs release) and where to watch them all on streaming services in the United States. This includes the latest offers from services such as Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+. We'll also let you know if you can watch any of the Mad Max movies online for free.

How to watch Mad Max movies in release order

The first Mad Max film premiered in 1979 and was set in a near-future dystopian Australia where society has collapsed due to oil shortages and widespread ecocide. Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) works for the only remaining law enforcement agency in the country, the Main Force Patrol, and he’s tasked with roaming the wasteland to hopefully bring as much justice as he can.

The sequel, Mad Max 2 , released two years later in 1981, sees Max discover a small community living in a village built around a working oil rig. After noticing the village is constantly attacked, he tries to strike a deal: protect them in exchange for fuel.

The third film, Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome , has become arguably the most iconic. Released in 1985, Beyond Thunderdome stars Tina Turner as Aunty Entity, the leader of an outpost that gets its power from an underground refinery. Max is enlisted to take down the ruler of the underworld, who is plotting to overthrow Aunty Entity.

Mad Max fans had to wait 30 years until the next release in 2015, when Mad Max: Fury Road premiered to critical acclaim. This time around, Max is played by Tom Hardy. Fury Road follows Max as he joins forces with Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron), who is trying to liberate a group of “wives” who have been imprisoned by Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne). Mad Max director George Miller has never been clear on whether Fury Road is a sequel to Thunderdome or a reboot.

The next movie to watch in release order is Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga , the prequel to Fury Road. It portrays a young Imperator Furiosa, this time played by Anya Taylor-Joy. She is taken from the Green Place of Many Mothers and falls into the hands of a dangerous biker horde.

There’s also another Mad Max sequel in the works, titled Mad Max: The Wasteland. The film is still in the early stages of development, but it appears to be a sequel to Fury Road and will see Hardy reprise his role.

How to watch Mad Max movies in chronological order

Because Mad Max is treated like a mythological character in George Miller's post-apocalyptic franchise, the exact order of the movies isn't as clear (or important) as other franchises. However, this is our suggested order if you want to follow Mad Max's adventures through the Wasteland.

Mad Max (1979)
Max Mad 2: The Road Warrior (1981)
Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985)
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Where can I watch Mad Max movies online?

You can use this guide to find out where to watch every Mad Max movie online. Browse through the complete franchise below to see every streaming offer for viewers in the United States. This includes the availability of Mad Max movies to buy, rent and stream on all popular streaming services.

Where To Watch Every Disney Live-Action Remake in Order

Recently, Walt Disney Studios has been ramping up its remake strategy. The studio is capitalizing on the enduring legacies of its biggest animated classics, such as Beauty and the Beauty , Peter Pan , and Pinocchio , by remaking them in live-action. These remakes have been extremely successful at the box office, appealing to older audiences through nostalgia while giving younger audiences a chance to experience the magic of seeing Disney's iconic stories on the big screen for the first time. In this guide, you can find out how to watch every live action Disney remake on streaming services in the United States.

Disney began dabbling in remakes in the 1990s with Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book , 101 Dalmatians , The Jungle Book: Mowgli’s Story , and 102 Dalmatians . However, the studio only distributed (but did not produce) Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, while Mowgli's Story was a direct-to-video release. Hence, the studio’s first big live-action adaptation success was One Hundred and One Dalmatians , which grossed $320.7 at the box office on a $67 million budget.

The studio waited until 2010 to release another remake, starting with Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland . Technology advancements meant the studio could truly capture the full scale of the classics. Disney then picked up the frequency with which it released live action remakes.

Beauty and the Beast (2017) is one of the biggest standout remakes. Emma Watson and Dan Stevens bring Belle and Beast to life in an enchanting, magical movie with lavish details and beautifully crafted songs. It also became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time, solidifying the appeal of live action Disney remakes.

The studio also released The Jungle Book and The Lion King . While these remakes were CGI-heavy, the special effects were so lifelike that it’s difficult to label them as “animated,” especially since The Jungle Book had a prominent human component in actor Neel Sethi, who brought Mowgli to life.

Disney has gotten creative with its remakes in other ways, too, such as with Christopher Robin and Cruella , which are adaptations of Winnie the Pooh and One Hundred and One Dalmations, respectively. Instead of being straightforward adaptations, they were live-action reimaginings that probed the iconic villain Cruella’s ( Emma Stone ) origins and the life of an adult Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor).

Following the recent success of the Halle Bailey-led The Little Mermaid , Disney is developing more live action remakes of their own classics, with Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and Moana on the horizon.

Where can I watch live action Disney remakes online?

Here are all of Disney’s live-action adaptations in release date order, from oldest to newest. In this guide, we've included the latest streaming information so you can easily find where to watch every live action Disney remake. You can also use JustWatch to find out which movies are available to stream legally for free.

How to Watch Pitch Perfect Movies in Order – A Streaming Guide

Aca-scuse me? If you’re looking to watch the three Pitch Perfect movies and their spin-off series Bumper in Berlin, check out our guide below to find out where you can stream them all.

Pitch Perfect premiered in 2012 and was somewhat of a sleeper hit. The film centered around a struggling college acapella group, the Barden Bellas, who hilariously struggle to return their group to its former glory. It starred Anna Kendrick in what many consider her career-defining role, as well as Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, and Rebel Wilson in her breakout role. Pitch Perfect initially had a limited release, followed by a wide release the following week.

Thanks to social media and word of mouth, the movie gained tons of publicity. While it never topped the box office, it continued to perform well week after week, staying in theaters well into February of the following year. In total, the movie made $115 million on a budget of just $17 million.

The success of the first movie led to a sequel, Pitch Perfect 2 , which premiered in 2015. Now, the Barden Bellas are among the top acapella groups in the world…but after a scandal, the Bellas need to save their reputation and re-earn their glory. The film was an even bigger success than the original, grossing more than $287 million.

A third film, Pitch Perfect 3 , came out in 2017. The Bellas are now graduated and struggling with the monotony of their jobs. But they hatch a plan to reunite and perform at a USO tour overseas. The movie was the biggest and craziest yet, involving global travel and even kidnapping. However, Pitch Perfect 3 received worse reviews than the first two films and remains the final Pitch Perfect movie to date.

But in 2022, the franchise received a spin-off series with Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin . The show follows Bumper, who has been a struggling musician since graduation. But after one of his songs becomes a hit in Germany, he heads to Berlin to hopefully jumpstart his career. The show had a fantastic cast including Adam DeVine who reprised his role as Bumper, along with Sarah Hyland and Jameela Jamil. After initially being renewed for a second season, the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strike ended up causing the show’s cancellation.

Hopefully more Pitch Perfect films are on the way, but until then, find out where to watch all three Pitch Perfect movies and Bumper in Berlin with our guide below.

How to watch the LEGO Movie franchise in order

The LEGO brand is huge, spanning movies, TV series, animated specials, video games, and of course, the iconic block toys. One of the brand’s biggest successes has been The LEGO Movie franchise. While LEGO has produced tons of movies and series, like the various LEGO Star Wars specials on Disney+, The LEGO Movie franchise is its own universe separate from the other LEGO franchises. Check out our guide below to find out how to watch every entry in The LEGO Movie series in order.

The series began in 2014 with The LEGO Movie . Starring Chris Pratt , Elizabeth Banks, and Morgan Freeman, the movie centers around a LEGO city under attack and the heroes who must save it. In the finale, however, it turns out that it was all taking place inside a giant LEGO set-up in a family’s basement. The movie had some surprisingly great humor and became a hit, earning more than $468 million at the box office.

Then, in 2017, the film received two spin-off sequels. First up was The LEGO Batman Movie . Will Arnett reprised his role as Batman and was joined by other stars like Michael Cera as Robin, Zach Galifianakis as the Joker, and Rosario Dawson as Batgirl. In classic DC fashion, Batman must stop Joker’s evil plans…but instead of being gritty like modern Batman movies, the film was loaded with lots of LEGO humor.

Just seven months later, another spin-off hit theaters. The LEGO Ninjago Movie centered around the famous ninja-inspired LEGO brand of the same name. The brand already had the long-running animated TV show Ninjago , which began airing in 2011, but the film is actually considered part of The LEGO Movie universe instead. The plot follows the son of an evil mastermind who does everything in his power to stop his dad from taking over the world.

Also in 2017, the series Unikitty! premiered and followed the fan-favorite character Princess Unikitty from the first film. As an episodical, the show followed the various misadventures and hijinks of the Princess and her fellow inhabitants of the Unikingdom. The show ran for three seasons, airing over 100 episodes.

The most recent addition to the franchise is 2019’s The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part . This time around, the team faces their biggest threat yet: space invaders destroying everything in sight. The hilarious part is that the space invaders are actually toys from the LEGO Duplo line, which is the brand’s toy collection made for toddlers.

According to Variety, Universal Studios acquired the rights to produce LEGO content in 2020, so more movies are expected sometime in the future. Until then, check out our guide below to find out where you can watch every entry in The LEGO Movie franchise so far.

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The best Harry Potter movies: every film ranked, from worst to best
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Release date: 15 November 2002 Runtime: 161 minutes Age rating: PG (US) / PG (UK) Cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Kenneth Branagh, John ...
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7. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Though it's probably the truest book-to-movie adaptation, the Sorcerer's Stone, with its Matilda- esque tone, doesn't live up to the power of the ...
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Directed by Chris Columbus. Image via Warner Bros. At 161 minutes, Chamber of Secrets is the longest film of the Harry Potter franchise, and perhaps not-so-coincidentally, it's also the last ...
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 (2010) - 77%. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) - 77%. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) - 81%. Harry Potter and ...
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Harry Potter films ranked. 8. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Dobby in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Kicking off the rundown is the second ...
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November 14 marks the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone, the Hollywood adaptation of the first book in J.K. Rowling's almost inconceivably popular kid-lit fantasy ...
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Based On The Novel by. ''Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" is a red-blooded adventure movie, dripping with atmosphere, filled with the gruesome and the sublime, and surprisingly faithful to the novel. A lot of things could have gone wrong, and none of them have: Chris Columbus' movie is an enchanting classic that does full justice to a ...
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. 2005 2h 37m PG-13. 7.7 (685K) Rate. 81 Metascore. Harry Potter finds himself competing in a hazardous tournament between rival schools of magic, but he is distracted by recurring nightmares. Director Mike Newell Stars Daniel Radcliffe Emma Watson Rupert Grint. 7.7/10.
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In terms of box office success, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the last film in the series, earned the most money, with a lifetime domestic gross of $381,011,219. But the first film ...
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. 2001. 4,095 votes. Directed by: Chris Columbus. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone ushers viewers into the enchanting world of Hogwarts, where the young orphan Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) discovers his identity as a wizard on his 11th birthday.
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3. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban. This is hands down the best of the young Harry Potter movies, and a lot of that is credit to Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuaron. He expertly edited ...
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Harry Potter films, ranked from best to worst. 1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) The one with... The time-turner, the Patronus charm, the werewolf, the Whomping Willow and the Ian ...
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Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Warner Bros. The Crimes of Grindelwald falls as flat a first-year wizarding student off an out-of-control broom. It's full of expository dialogue ...
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7) Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone. Chris Columbus doesn't get enough credit, especially for his opening Potter movie. He set the template right here with Philosopher's Stone, conjuring ...
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The best 'Harry Potter' movies are on the darker side of the original franchise, while the 'Fantastic Beasts' movies don't fare as well. See where EW ranks your favorite 'Harry Potter' movie.
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) After cheating death for three straight years, Harry's fourth year at Hogwarts proved to be his most perilous yet. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire ...
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Here is Every Harry Potter Movie, Ranked Worst to Best. 8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1. If The Deathly Hallows got the one-two punch treatment, then The Goblet of Fire also deserved two movies. The fundamental problem with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part One is that it simply runs in circles for the vast majority of ...
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Link to Best Movies of 2024: Best New Movies to Watch Now ... The Acolyte First Reviews ; Vote: 1999 Movie Showdown ; ... The Harry Potter Movies. Harry Potter Photos. See all photos.
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1.. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2The eighth and final film of the main Harry Potter story takes the crown as the best reviewed, with an impressive 96 per cent Rotten Tomato rating.
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Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Warner Bros. Full disclosure, this is my favorite Harry Potter film of all time. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are officially teenagers, and that means budding romance, adolescent confusion, and a school dance that gives way to a coming of age flick that's quite honestly my bread and butter.
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On Rotten Tomatoes it's rated at 90%, coming in close second behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which has 96%. The film's headline refers to the maniacal mass-murderer who ...
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Each season adapts a book from JK Rowling's popular series and provides more book-accurate details than the movies did. Upon the announcement of the Harry Potter TV show, the series received harsh criticism for the involvement of Rowling and for many thinking a reboot was unnecessary. Seasons. 1.
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Summary. In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Sirius Black manages to escape the most impenetrable prison in the magical world, Azkaban. While Azkaban is located in the middle of the North Sea and protected by Dementors, Sirius had one secret that helped him avoid all security. However, many wizards and witches have escaped Azkaban ...
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The movie follows surveillance expert Harry Caul (Gene Hackman), who faces an intense moral dilemma when he realizes the couple he has been tailing may be at the center of a murder plot. ... In addition to screening many of 2024's best movies, this is also where production companies can strike distribution deals for upcoming theatrical and ...

The best Harry Potter movies: every film ranked, from worst to best

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Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) 84%

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) 82%

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001) 81%

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9. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)

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5. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009)

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Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald (2018) -36%

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 (2010) – 77%

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) – 77%

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) – 81%

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) – 82%

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) – 84%

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2006) – 88%

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) – 90%

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011) – 96%

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Every Harry Potter movie, ranked by A.V. Club review