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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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Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone (2001)

152 minutes

Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom

Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy

Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley

Richard Harris as Albus Dumbledore

Robbie Coltrane as Hagrid

Alan Rickman as Prof. Snape

Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter

Emma Watson as Hermione Granger

John Cleese as Nick

Maggie Smith as Prof. McGonagall

Ian Hart as Prof. Quirrell

• Steven Kloves

Based On The Novel by

• J.K. Rowling

Directed by

• Chris Columbus

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone review – 20 years on, it’s a nostalgic spectacular

The first film in the franchise is re-released into a very different world – but it’s as entertaining and exhilarating as ever

T he very first Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (or “Sorcerer’s Stone” for its release in the United States, where audiences were assumed to be unfamiliar with this alchemical term) is now re-released after 20 years, into a rather different world. Sadly, the actors who played the original Dumbledore, Snape, Uncle Vernon and Mr Ollivander – Richard Harris, Alan Rickman , Richard Griffiths and John Hurt – are no longer with us. The Harry Potter franchise itself is still a colossal commercial entity, an IP Shangri La, although its creator JK Rowling is now at the centre of an acrimonious gender politics debate – undreamed of in 2001 – and the world of children’s and YA fiction, which she almost singlehandedly revived all over the world, is strongly policed on just these issues.

It’s amazing and poignant to remember the sheer excitement of that HPATPS premiere in November 2001: I myself called it an “old-fashioned pre-September 11 news event”. Harry Potter emerged into cinemas as we were still all stunned by 9/11, but yet to see the retaliatory “war on terror”. This film, emerging four years after the original novel, marked the birth of a new consolatory pop culture myth, to rival Sherlock Holmes and James Bond, and the circumstances of its own arrival became mythic, from Rowling’s own early poverty to the snapping up of film rights.

Warner Bros had gambled on three cherubically young actors to carry the series through their own adolescence to its finale: Daniel Radcliffe as Harry, Emma Watson as Hermione and Rupert Grint as Ron. Opinions on the acting may divide here, and it was admittedly Robert Pattinson (playing Cedric Diggory in Goblet of Fire), who had the real career staying power. But I can’t think of these characters played by any other actors: the thought of the stories being remade or re-adapted with a different cast is heresy. I even grew to like Grint’s very broad, goofy acting, in which he was encouraged by director Chris Columbus at the outset. Radcliffe’s bespectacled moon face looks heartbreakingly unformed.

In the film we see Harry Potter coming to terms with his messianic purpose: he is released from his Dickensian incarceration in the Dursley household and sent for his first term at Hogwarts with its public-school/Oxbridge traditions. Harry learns how to play quidditch (like Tom Brown learning rugby) and he and his three pals are sorted into their various houses; they encounter the formidable teaching staff, including Professor McGonagall (Maggie Smith), Professor Quirrell (Ian Hart) and Professor Snape (Alan Rickman) and then meet the challenge of a deadly assault on Harry.

And it’s still a very entertaining and spectacular movie, with a rush of nostalgia to go alongside the exhilaration of fun, even though some of the “flying” effects during the big quidditch match aren’t quite what we’re used to in 2021. “Wingardium Leviosa,” says the earnest, wide-eyed Hermione … and the story is airborne again.

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
• Harry Potter (Books)
• Harry Potter (Film)
• Daniel Radcliffe
• Emma Watson
• Rupert Grint

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Harry potter and the sorcerer's stone, common sense media reviewers.

First Potter movie is a magical ride but also intense.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Plenty examples of courage, teamwork, and loyalty.

Harry's relationship with Ron and Hermione demonst

As one of the most beloved characters in the Harry

Kids are in peril often, mostly from fantasy creat

While the candy featured in the film wasn't origin

Parents need to know that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone , the first movie in the massively popular and successful Harry Potter series (all based on the books by J.K. Rowling), has some intense and scary moments. Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and friends -- who are only 11 years old here -- are in…

Positive Messages

Plenty examples of courage, teamwork, and loyalty. Friendship, standing up for others, expressing compassion, generosity, perseverance, and the triumph of the underdog are also strong themes.

Positive Role Models

Harry's relationship with Ron and Hermione demonstrates the idea behind strength in numbers when it comes to friendship. They're able to work together despite their respective flaws, forgive one another for their mistakes, and overcome great challenges. Hermione is studious and unafraid to express how smart she is, earning admiration of her teachers and eventually peers. Harry stands up for those who've been compassionate toward him, as well as those he feels deserve better treatment; he treats people with respect and loyalty. His generous tendencies encourage viewers to use their experiences with adversity in a positive manner.

Diverse Representations

As one of the most beloved characters in the Harry Potter series, Hermione shines as a multi-dimensional young girl. She's smart and speaks her mind, even when her classmates ridicule her for it. Among the student body at Hogwarts, witches and wizards of color appear, including Harry's fellow Gryffindors Dean Thomas and Lee Jordan, who are both Black. But they have few lines, and their roles aren't central to the plot. Disparities in wealth and privilege are revealed with Ron having less money than Harry, while Draco exudes high-class snobbery, though the issue isn't explored deeply. A Hogwarts teacher Professor Flitwick is played by an actor who was born with the condition spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenital (SED), which caused his dwarfism. The movie, like its source material, plays into fat-phobic stereotypes, depicting villains such as Harry's Uncle Vernon and cousin Dudley as gluttonous and less intelligent.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Kids are in peril often, mostly from fantasy creatures. A three-headed dog chases Harry and friends. Harry and Draco see a dead, bloody unicorn and are chased by a hooded figure in the Forbidden Forest. Harry and friends fight a troll and knock it unconscious, are nearly crushed by a constricting plant, are chased by flying keys, and pummeled by a life-sized chess board. One character dies by turning to dust. Mostly friendly ghosts roam the halls; the ghost Nearly Headless Nick shows how he got the name. Flashback to the (bloodless) death of Harry's parents and much discussion about how they died and the one who killed them.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

While the candy featured in the film wasn't originally real, it is now: Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Jelly Slugs, and more. And then there are the action figures, Lego playsets, wands, clothing, and much more associated with the franchise.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone , the first movie in the massively popular and successful Harry Potter series (all based on the books by J.K. Rowling), has some intense and scary moments. Harry Potter ( Daniel Radcliffe ) and friends -- who are only 11 years old here -- are in peril and get hurt, but not seriously, and most of the scares come from fantasy creatures. There's a flashback to the (bloodless) death of Harry's parents and discussion about how they died and the villain who killed them. Characters show courage, teamwork, and loyalty. Friendship, standing up for others, expressing compassion, generosity, perseverance, and the triumph of the underdog are also strong themes. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (148)
• Kids say (543)

Based on 148 parent reviews

inappropriate for most

Some scary scenes that could be a bit much for littles. but a great introduction to the harry potter franchise., what's the story.

When HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE begins, Harry ( Daniel Radcliffe ) is an orphan who lives with the awful Dursleys, his aunt, uncle, and cousin. On his 11th birthday, Harry receives a mysterious letter, but his uncle destroys it before he can read it. Letters keep coming, and the Dursleys panic and hide away on a remote island. But they're found by Hagrid ( Robbie Coltrane ), a huge, bearded man with a weakness for scary-looking creatures. It turns out that the letters were coming from Hogwarts, a boarding school for young witches and wizards, and Harry is expected for the fall term, so Hagrid whisks him off to begin his new life as a wizard in training. On the train to Hogwarts, Harry meets his future best friends, Ron Weasley ( Rupert Grint ) and Hermione Granger ( Emma Watson ). When school begins, things really get exciting, with classes in Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts, a sport called Quidditch (a sort of flying soccer/basketball), a mysterious trap door guarded by a three-headed dog named Fluffy, and a baby dragon named Norbert. Throughout the year, Harry adjusts to his magical life and begins to come to grips with his famous status in the wizarding world and what he represents to the darker forces there. He also learns some important lessons about loyalty and courage.

Is It Any Good?

This first film in the Harry Potter series is filled with visual splendor, valiant heroes, spectacular special effects, and irresistible characters. It's only fair to say that Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is truly magical. The settings manage to be sensationally imaginative and yet at the same time so clearly believable and lived-in that you'll think you could find them yourself, if you could just get to Platform 9 3/4. The adult actors are simply and completely perfect. Richard Harris turns in an excellent performance as headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Maggie Smith (whose on-screen teaching roles extend from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie to Sister Act ) brings just the right dry asperity to Professor McGonagall, and Coltrane is a half-giant with a heart to match as Hagrid. Alan Rickman provides shivers as potions master Professor Snape, and the brief glimpse of Julie Walters (an Oscar nominee for Billy Elliott ) will make you glad you'll be seeing more of her in future movies. And the kids are all just fine, though here they're mostly called upon to look either astonished or resolute.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the Harry Potter book series that inspired Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and the other movies. Do you like the books or movies better?

Which themes from the first in the series pop up again in later installments?

What do you think about Harry and his friends going away to school? Would you ever want to do something like that?

How do Harry and his friends demonstrate teamwork , perseverance , and courage in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone ? Why are these important character strengths ?

Movie Details

• In theaters : November 16, 2001
• On DVD or streaming : May 28, 2002
• Cast : Daniel Radcliffe , Emma Watson , Rupert Grint
• Director : Chris Columbus
• Studio : Fine Line Features
• Genre : Fantasy
• Topics : Magic and Fantasy , Adventures , Book Characters , Friendship , Great Boy Role Models , Great Girl Role Models , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
• Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance , Teamwork
• Run time : 152 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : some scary moments and mild language
• Last updated : April 12, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

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

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 Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) 77%

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

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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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Reviews

... a painstakingly literal translations of J.K Rowling’s first novel, a near-perfect replica created with a kind of funhouse spectacle of the wonders of the magical world come to life.

Full Review | Jan 6, 2024

...a decent-enough first installment that admittedly does a nice job of establishing Rowling's impressively detailed world and characters...

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Nov 15, 2021

An exceptional big-screen half-term treat.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Oct 29, 2021

The Harry Potter movies are the rare series to defy the notion that the books are always better.

Full Review | Oct 27, 2020

It's always thrilling to see kids taking matters into their own hands, outthinking their peers, outwitting adults, and defeating superior enemies.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Sep 29, 2020

Does a magnificent job in bringing to life the unique world of magic and fantasy that, until its mega-hyped release, existed only in the imaginations of author J.K. Rowling's devoted readership.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 11, 2020

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is truly a tale for all ages that will last for ages.

Full Review | Nov 13, 2019

Good film directed for a teenage audience in which not only is magic taught but also how stereotypes affect it while the film itself recreates some British stereotypes. [Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 11, 2019

The introduction to Hogwarts and the magic world is very charming and fun.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Apr 12, 2019

This is the world-building moment for Harry Potter, and I loved it. It's sweet and endearing...the set-up is so enjoyable to see.

Full Review | Jan 30, 2018

Harry Potter's first venture onto the screen is a solid blockbuster.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Nov 13, 2015

Chris Columbus has created an extraordinarily detailed look that's both fantastic and yet has its own reality - exactly like an English public school, come to think of it, especially in your first term .

Full Review | Jun 16, 2015

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is, despite its trickery, that plainest and least surprising of artifacts: the work of art that is exactly the sum of its parts, neither more nor less.

Full Review | Nov 27, 2013

Harry Potter's adventures in wizard-land are cozy and comfortable in Chris Columbus' faithful adaptation.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 27, 2013

This faithful rendition of the inaugural Potter book demonstrates that the franchise is in safe, sensible hands.

A surprisingly excellent exciting fantasy flick...

Full Review | Jun 15, 2013

Slow, but it establishes the myth, the cast and the look. And it's holding up surprisingly well.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jan 27, 2013

Although it suffers nominally from being over-stuffed and under-paced, it's grand and involving, with magnificent production design and special effects, and some fabulous thesps present and correct.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 27, 2011

First Potter movie is a magical ride but also intense.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/5 | Dec 24, 2010

A near-perfect commercial and cultural commodity.

Full Review | Mar 5, 2008

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

An orphaned boy enrolls in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. An orphaned boy enrolls in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world. An orphaned boy enrolls in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world.

• Chris Columbus
• J.K. Rowling
• Steve Kloves
• Daniel Radcliffe
• Rupert Grint
• Emma Watson
• 2K User reviews
• 153 Critic reviews
• 65 Metascore
• 20 wins & 74 nominations total

• Harry Potter

• Ron Weasley

• Hermione Granger

• Albus Dumbledore

• Professor McGonagall

• Baby Harry Potter

• Aunt Petunia Dursley

• Dudley Dursley

• Uncle Vernon Dursley

• Bartender in Leaky Cauldron

• Professor Quirrell

• Diagon Alley Boy

• Goblin Bank Teller …

• (as Vern Troyer)

• Mr. Ollivander

• He Who Must Not Be Named

• Lily Potter
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia Alan Rickman was handpicked to play Snape by J.K. Rowling , and received special instructions from her about the character. Rowling even provided him with vital details of Snape's backstory, not revealed until the final novel.
• Goofs (at around 1h 11 mins) When Harry is upside down with the troll holding him by his legs, his hair is pointing to the floor and his scar is no where to be seen on his forehead.

Dumbledore : It does not do to dwell on dreams, Harry, and forget to live.

• Crazy credits Richard Bremmer (the face and voice of Lord Voldemort) is credited as "He Who Must Not Be Named", Lord Voldemort's title.
• Dudley's Uniform: Aunt Petunia dyes Dudley's old uniform gray so Harry could use it as his school uniform (before Harry receives the letter from Hogwarts.)
• Cracking Eggs: Aunt Petunia opens egg cartons and cracks them, discovering rolled up letters from Hogwarts addressed to Harry.
• On the train: Hagrid and Harry take the train to London, and Hagrid reveals his love for dragons.
• Snape's Class: An extended version of Snape's potions class.
• Finding Flamel: Harry, Ron, and Hermione discover Nicholas Flamel's name in a wizard card while looking for a counter curse for Neville's leg locker curse.
• Harry's Meditation: Harry and Ron discuss the Mirror of Erised.
• Connections Edited into 5 Second Movies: Harry Potter (2008)

User reviews 2K

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• Aug 14, 2016

Everything New on Max in April

• Is the character Hermione Granger based on anyone?
• What is "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" about?
• Is "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" based on a book?
• November 16, 2001 (United States)
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Alnwick Castle, Alnwick, Northumberland, England, UK (broomstick flying lessons; Ron insults Hermione; Harry complaining that his scar keeps hurting)
• Warner Bros.
• Heyday Films
• 1492 Pictures
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $125,000,000 (estimated)
• $318,886,962
• $90,294,621
• Nov 18, 2001
• $1,024,465,951

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 32 minutes
• Dolby Digital EX
• 12-Track Digital Sound
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‘Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone’ at 20: The Film That Started It All

Two decades after the film’s release, Daniel Radcliffe and the director, Chris Columbus, take us inside four key scenes.

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By Sarah Bahr

“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” ruined Daniel Radcliffe’s expectations for what is normal on a film set.

The Great Hall, where he shot many of the scenes from the first of eight films based on the J.K. Rowling series, was a phantasmagoria of detail. Platters of real lamb chops, roasted potatoes and puddings sat alongside 400 hand-lettered menus and — for at least one scene — hundreds of real, glowing candles. The hall set took 30 people a little over four months to construct.

“I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of sets I’ve been on since in my career that are of that scale,” Radcliffe said in a video interview from his New York apartment in October.

Directed by Chris Columbus, the story of a boy who, upon turning 11, discovers he’s a wizard and goes off to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry opened Nov. 16, 2001, and went on to gross more than $1 billion worldwide.

When Radcliffe and the young actors who played his friends, Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), were making the film, they weren’t just pretending to have the time of their lives — they were, Columbus said.

“That’s why we shot with three or four cameras — if one of the kids looked into the camera or smiled like they couldn’t believe their good fortune, I had something else to cut to,” he said in a phone conversation on a walk near his home in Malibu in September.

That joy was in large part thanks, Radcliffe said, to Columbus’s infectious passion for his work.

“Chris approaches set in the correct way, in my opinion, which is the attitude that we are the luckiest people in the world to get to do this for a living,” he said.

Columbus wasn’t initially sure he wanted to do a film about wizards, but after his daughter Eleanor (who has a cameo as Susan Bones) kept bugging him to read the books, he finally cracked open the first installment and read all 223 pages in a day.

“I thought, ‘I have to make a movie out of this,’” he said.

But when he called his agent to set up a meeting with Warner Bros., “She said, ‘Yeah, you and about 30 other directors,’” Columbus said.

So he came up with a strategy: He asked for the last meeting slot with studio executives and spent about 10 days writing a script from the director’s point of view.

“I think the most impressive thing about that to them was that I did something for free,” he said, laughing. “No one in Hollywood does anything for free.”

Some six weeks later, he learned the job was his — with one condition: He had to fly to Scotland to meet Rowling.

“I sat there for two and a half hours, talking nonstop, explaining my vision for the movie,” he said. “And she said, ‘That’s exactly the same way I see it.’”

He also got her to go to bat for him on one major casting decision: his Harry. He loved Radcliffe from the moment the actor read for the part — “He was phenomenal,” Columbus said — but the studio wasn’t so sure.

“Finally, I called Jo, and I said, ‘Will you look at this kid?’” he said. When she pronounced him “the perfect Harry Potter ,” Columbus recalled, the studio went along.

Radcliffe, now 32, said that while he does not consider his performance in the film brilliant acting, he’s no longer embarrassed by some of the scenes the way he was in his late teens.

“Now I’m able to look back and go, ‘OK, you were a kid, it’s fine,’” he said, laughing. “It’s still a lovely memory.”

In separate interviews, Radcliffe and Columbus recalled what it took to shoot four key scenes. Here are edited excerpts from our conversations.

The Great Hall

Creating the main gathering place at Hogwarts, where the students eat all their meals at House tables, was a mammoth undertaking.

COLUMBUS When the actors walk into the Great Hall for the first time, what you see on their faces is the genuine reaction to seeing this incredible set for the first time.

RADCLIFFE It never really lost that power.

COLUMBUS The production designer Stuart Craig and [the set decorator] Stephenie McMillan had such an incredible eye for detail. I opened up one of the menus, and realized they’d handwritten all 400 on parchment paper. I thought, “Oh my God, this is the real deal.” I’ve since never had such extraordinary production design.

But there were a few hiccups.

COLUMBUS The food came in — an American Thanksgiving feast — and it was meant to last for eight to 10 hours. I came back the next day, and it was still the same food! By Day 3, I can only say the scent of the Great Hall was getting a little funky.

There was also a mishap.

COLUMBUS When all the kids file into the Great Hall for the first time, we see hundreds of floating candles in the air. And then something horrible happened — the flames of the candles started to burn through the clear string holding them and started to drop! We had to get everybody out of the set — and then we shot it two more times, telling ourselves, “We’re just going to add C.G.I. candles.”

RADCLIFFE We scattered! I’m sure Chris was more stressed out by it, but as a kid, you’re like, “This is really funny.”

The Quidditch scenes are some of the most exciting parts of the film. But the rigs the actors rode were a little, erm, bumpy.

COLUMBUS Our stunt coordinator, Greg Powell, came up with these brilliant rigs that gave all the actors a sense of almost being on an amusement-park ride. What you see on their faces a lot of times, particularly in the Quidditch match, is real — they were a little terrified, but for the most part, as 11-year-old kids, they were having the time of their lives.

RADCLIFFE Looking back, it would have been totally acceptable for me as an 11-year-old in interviews to go, “Yeah, the Quidditch scenes are pretty painful.” But at the time, it was like, “I can’t say anything bad or negative about anything,” so you’re just like, “No, no, no, it’s great.” It was a broomstick with a thin seat in the middle, and you didn’t have stirrups — or, if you did, they were very, very high up — so you were basically leaning all your weight onto your junk when you leaned forward.

COLUMBUS A few weeks before I started the film, I ran into Steven Spielberg. And he said, “There’s one thing you’ve got to do: When these kids get off these rigs, they should be rubbing their thighs like athletes, like it’s really been this incredibly painful experience.”

RADCLIFFE I think on the fifth movie, they made a broom that had more of a rowing machine tractor seat, and we were like, “Why has this taken so long to change? This is much better!”

The Troll Attack

When Harry and Ron are fighting the troll in the girls’ bathroom, Ron casts a spell to drop a club on the troll’s head — but not before it flips Harry upside down and swings him around by his ankles.

COLUMBUS Whatever C.G.I. character couldn’t be there in person, I had to be. So in the second film I was Dobby, the Basilisk — and here, I was the troll. In the wide shots I could only shout and act like a maniac off camera, but in the close-ups, I could actually be next to the camera pretending to be a troll. It was one of the most intense physical workouts I’ve ever had.

RADCLIFFE One of the great things about the films early on was that a huge amount of the effects were practical. The shot of us ducking as the bathroom stalls explode when the troll hits them with the club — some of that was very real. It’s always better to react to something that’s there.

The Chess Game

One of the obstacles guarding the Sorcerer’s Stone is a giant wizard’s chess board, which Harry, Ron and Hermione must play their way across. The film’s designers created 32 pieces, that were up to 12-feet tall and weighed as much as 500 pounds.

COLUMBUS Stuart and I thought it would be interesting to build as much as possible so we could get the kids’ actual reactions of being on these enormous chess pieces. The only things that were augmented in C.G.I. were some explosions — though we did some practical ones, too — and some scenes where the pieces actually had to move. I think it was the pawns that had to draw their swords.

RADCLIFFE Of course, they got an international master to devise a chess puzzle. The attention to detail was really cool.

Some fans have pointed out that the game isn’t strictly accurate.

COLUMBUS I saw the first cut, and I said, “This is really, really slow.” I was adhering to an exact chess game. So I said to my editor, “We’ve got to cut this back.” I can’t worry that the game is being played exactly as a chess expert would play it.

RADCLIFFE It was an incredibly cool set — we were literally playing on this massive chess board every day surrounded by fire — and the effects in that scene hold up in a way that not all the effects from the first film do.

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

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

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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Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone Review

16 Nov 2001

152 minutes

Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone

Sometimes the best plan is to do things by the book. With over 100 million Harry Potter readers desperate to rush down cinema aisles to see their hero on the big screen for the first time, you can't blame Chris Columbus for sticking close to J.K. Rowling's novel. It's one thing to let your imagination loose with the words on the page; it's another to have those images backed up by a multi-million dollar Hollywood budget. And from the very first sight of an owl perched on the Privet Drive road sign to the closing shot of the Hogwarts Express pulling away from the station with the majestic school sitting high on the hills behind, we know that every golden galleon has been well spent.

That's why this faithful adaptation won't fail to win over the book's fans with its 'wow' factor. It thrives on audience recognition. John Williams' score swells at the key moments - Here's your first glimpse of Hogwarts! Isn't Diagon Alley crammed with Dickensian detail! - as Columbus pulls back curtain after curtain to reveal all of the avid readers' favourite bits. The stand-out sequence is the Gryffindor versus Slytherin Quidditch match, a fast-paced medieval Rollerball with broomsticks. It soars where The Phantom Menace's podrace stalled on the third lap.

Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone has one advantage over so many other blockbusters: it already knows that it's the first in a series, so it doesn't have to become a self-contained hit movie before its sequels can receive the green light. This means it deliberately takes its time setting up the characters and the scenario before, like the book, pulling in a quest-cum-whodunnit plot to provide a climax. This structure is fine for the initiated, but it might leave first-timers feeling a bit uncomfortable with the shape of the movie. And because it's more of a kids film than the book was just a kids book, the two-and-a-half hour running time is bound to provoke some cinema squirming from young viewers.

That said, Columbus ensures there's a bit of on-screen magic coming our way every couple of minutes, and not just in the shape of expensive effects. Near-perfect casting ensures character colour from the adult actors and allows the central trio of kids (Radcliffe, Grint and Watson) to prove that three heads are better than one (unless your name is Fluffy).

Coltrane as cuddly giant Hagrid and Grint as Harry's cheeky chum, Ron, steal some scenes, but it's Radcliffe who leads us through Harry's journey from open-jawed underdog to pint-sized hero. Sympathetic and strong, brave and believably ordinary, he becomes the audience's counterpart in this weird world of witches and wizards.

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• DVD & Streaming

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

• Action/Adventure , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

• Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter; Richard Griffiths as Uncle Vernon Dursley; Fiona Shaw as Aunt Petunia Dursley; Harry Melling as Dudley Dursley; Emma Watson as Hermione Granger; Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley; Robbie Coltrane as Gamekeeper Rubeus Hagrid; Richard Harris as Headmaster Albus Dumbledore; Alan Rickman as Professor Severus Snape; Maggie Smith as Professor Minerva McGonagal; Tom Felton as Draco Malfoy

Home Release Date

• Chris Columbus

Distributor

• Warner Bros.

Movie Review

As far as Harry knows, his parents were killed in a car crash when he was an infant, and he’s stuck with his aunt and uncle, Petunia and Vernon Dursley. Like a modern Cinderella, Harry sleeps in a closet and waits on his relatives hand and foot while his pudgy cousin Dudley is spoiled rotten. But as Harry’s 11th birthday approaches, all of that changes. A gentle giant named Rubeus Hagrid shows up to inform Harry that he is a wizard by birth and invite him to study at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

At Hogwarts, Harry finds much of what his pitiful life has lacked. Close friends. Bits of his own family history. Magical skills. Recognition. And a starting position on the Quidditch team (think airborne soccer)—an honor unheard of for a “first-year.” But he also gets a few things he didn’t bargain for, including a mystery and a ferocious three-headed dog named Fluffy. Most formidably, he finds he’s the object of renewed hatred from the evil Voldemort, who killed his parents. Harry meets the challenge head-on and faces off with this villain so wicked other wizards won’t even speak his name. Voldemort gets what’s coming to him, but you can be sure he’ll be back in the sequels.

positive content: Two prominent teachers at Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall, are some of the finest authority figures to grace a kids’ movie in quite some time. Professor McGonagall is stern and a stickler for rules. But rather than scorning her, Harry and his friends like and respect her. Dumbledore proffers wise advice and teaches common sense. He becomes like a father to Harry, comforting him when he misses his parents and taking time to talk through his questions and problems.

When Harry is being assigned to one of Hogwarts’ four houses, the “sorting hat” assesses his character, then applauds him for having “courage, talent, not a bad mind and a thirst to prove [himself].” During the course of the story, it becomes clear to Harry that—just as Lucifer was once a high angel—these talents could just as easily have landed him in the malevolent Slytherin house as in the noble Gryffindor. His own human potential for “going bad” bothers Harry until Dumbledore reminds him that he asked not to be put in Slytherin and teaches him that choosing the good over the bad makes all the difference.

The evil acts of dark-side wizards—such as killing a unicorn for its life-giving blood—are denounced. In addition, lines spoken by villains expose dark-side philosophy, which is then refuted when the scoundrels are defeated. For example, one of Voldemort’s followers says to Harry, “There is no such thing as good and evil. There is only power and those too weak to seek it.” Harry swiftly and strongly opposes both this villain and his sentiments.

When Harry discovers that it wasn’t a car crash that killed his parents, he also learns that his mother actually died saving his life. Dumbledore instructs him on the importance of sacrificial love, telling Harry, “love leaves a mark that lives in your very skin.”

Harry, Ron and Hermione go on an Indiana Jones- like adventure, solving puzzles and dodging obstacles to unravel their mystery and find the sorcerer’s stone. One leg of the course is a life-sized chess game in which captured pieces get smashed by their opponents. As an accomplished chess player, Ron gets to call the shots, and in a heroic act, he sacrifices his knight (and gets injured in the process) in order to save Harry.

spiritual content: The big debate about Harry Potter , of course, is whether its magic is of a spiritual or mechanical nature. More on that follows, but for now, magical elements are listed here as “spiritual content.”

Before he discovers he’s a wizard, Harry accidentally dissolves the glass over a snake cage at the zoo. This begins to make sense to Harry when Hagrid comes to take him to Hogwarts. The giant asks, “Did you ever make things happen that you couldn’t explain?” The light comes on for Harry—his mysterious power comes from being a wizard. Hagrid makes Dudley grow a pig’s tail. Doors open Ali Baba-style to a series of taps from Hagrid’s pink umbrella (which also happens to shoot fire). Harry and friends get to the platform for the Hogwarts Express by walking through a brick wall in a London train station. On the train, Ron tries to put a spell on his pet rat to turn it yellow. Other spells are of similar sort, spoken in Latin and intended to make changes in the physical realm. Harry and his friends take classes in Potions, The History of Magic, Defense Against the Dark Arts, etc. Their school supplies include robes and magic wands which they purchase on a magical street called Diagon Alley. When Harry goes to pick out a wand, he finds that it is the wand that instead “picks” him. Wandmaker Mr. Ollivander tells Harry that the wand he was “destined for” is “brother” to the wand Voldemort used to kill Harry’s parents and give him his scar. At Hogwarts, the ceiling in the Great Hall is “bewitched” to look like the night sky. Staircases move under the influence of permanent spells. The school celebrates Halloween with a huge banquet, but it also celebrates Christmas in the same way. The dormitories are supervised by silvery-gray ghosts. The head of Harry’s dormitory is Nearly Headless Nick, who died 500 years previously in a botched decapitation.

Missing from the movie (and at no great loss) is the one class that, in the book, came closest to mentioning supernatural contact—Divination. Also missing is a particularly troublesome line in which Dumbledore says, “To the well-organized mind, death is just the next great adventure.”

All the villains in The Sorcerer’s Stone are practitioners of “The Dark Arts.” Their spells come in the form of curses and are used to harm other wizards. Foremost on the dark side is Voldemort, who uses a death curse to kill Harry’s parents and to try to kill Harry.

Also very troubling is the overarching idea that Harry is “rescued” from a miserable life by a bunch of wizards and witches. Of course, there are two ways to see this. Viewers who bring to the movie a background in Christian fantasy may see it as somewhat similar to C.S. Lewis’ Narnia—a magical world far more exciting and “fitting” for the human spirit than the plain physical world. On the other hand, there’s the likely interpretation that Harry is being “saved” by witchcraft, a disturbing idea to say the least. The immediate emotional impact of film makes the concept even more dangerous, because passive thrill-seekers won’t necessarily ponder and process it as they might while reading a book.

sexual content: None.

violent content: Uncle Vernon never hits Harry, but he treats him roughly at times. He also tries to shoot at Hagrid, but the giant bends the end of his shotgun. Scenes that flash back to the death of Harry’s parents are short and discreet, showing only a flash of light and Harry’s mom falling to the ground.Hagrid kicks down a door when he comes to retrieve Harry from the Dursleys. (He then apologizes and puts it back in place.) One student gets caught on a runaway broom, crashes into a building and falls, breaking his wrist. Ron accidentally gets hit in the nose with a broom handle. A huge digitally animated troll smashes up a school bathroom and tries to hurt Hermione. A wand up the nose (gross!) distracts him and his own club eventually knocks him out. A Quidditch match turns ugly and Harry is nearly knocked from his flying broom. Ron, Harry and Hermione get trapped in the clutches of a vining plant with a vicious will of its own. The chess scene is intense, with many shattering chess pieces. Ron gets forcefully knocked to the ground.

Because watching film footage takes less time than reading pages, Harry’s final battle scene is actually shorter in the movie than in the book. Thankfully missing is a lot of Voldemort’s dialogue in which he repeatedly instructs a follower to kill Harry. Still, the scene is intense, and for young viewers, scary. Things look grim for Harry at first, until he discovers that his mother’s love has placed a seal on him that makes it impossible for his enemy to touch him. (Instead, physical contact causes his foe to be charred to a crisp.) The evil wizard Voldemort leaves the building in a dramatic and somewhat frightening rush.

crude or profane language: There’s a line about someone falling on his “a–.” Ron once exclaims, “Bloody hell!” Also: three misuses of God’s name and one use of “d–n.”

drug and alcohol content: On several occasions, Hagrid talks about visiting a pub. He enters one and the bartender says, “The usual, Hagrid?” to which Hagrid replies, “Not today. I’m on official Hogwarts business.” One student tries to turn water to rum, but fails.

other negative elements: Though it’s arguably played down from the book, Harry and his friends sometimes break rules with impunity. For example, Harry is told not to fly on his broomstick; he does it anyway (albeit for noble purposes) and ends up being rewarded with a starting spot on the Quidditch team.

conclusion: Aside from the exceptions noted, Harry Potter the movie is quite faithful to Harry Potter the book—a smart move on the part of filmmakers, who knew any significant departure would quickly alienate the target audience. The masterfully made film offers virtually no surprises. That leaves us dealing with the same questions that have been lurking since the first copy of J.K. Rowling’s book rolled off the press. Is it fantasy magic or occult magic? Does the distinction even matter?

These questions are both difficult and worthwhile. Fantasy (not just “make believe,” but a rich literary tradition with extensive principles and precedents) has made use of wizards and magic for centuries. Even Christian fantasy has employed “good witches.” Sometimes it has been as clear-cut as Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia , sometimes not. Christian fantasy fans contend that such tales have a powerful ability to convey truth and that real-world rules don’t apply in fantasyland. Well-respected Christian author Chuck Colson explains that Harry ’s magic is of an entirely different nature from real-world witchcraft: “Harry and his friends cast spells, read crystal balls, and turn themselves into animals—but they don’t make contact with a supernatural world.”

Similarly, Wren Walker, a practicing witch in Clearwater, Fla., and co-founder of the Witches Voice, an umbrella group for witches and Wiccans worldwide, insists that Harry Potter could never be an instructional piece for real-life witchcraft. “Spells tend to be more like prayers for most Wiccans and witches that practice it in the religious sense,” says Walker. “We don’t use ‘abracadabra.’ If somebody wanted to pick up the book and do the things in it, it wouldn’t be witchcraft.”

Richard Abanes, author of the book Harry Potter and the Bible , disagrees. While Rowling insists her stories are imaginary, she “admits she has been studying witchcraft to make the books more ‘accurate,'” Abanes told Crosswalk.com, which reports that Rowling also claims a significant minority of the sorcery appearing in her books is “material that was once believed in Britain.” “What she fails to mention,” Abanes says, “is that the vast amount of the occult she borrows from historical sources still plays a role in modern witchcraft.”

Such debate within the Christian community (and outside of it) will continue to rage. But even if Harry Potter ‘s magic isn’t of the occult, it still carries with it serious dangers. First, Rowling’s stories—unlike Lewis’ or Tolkien’s—are neither a Christian allegory, nor do they subscribe to a consistent Christian worldview. And second, we live in a culture that glorifies and promotes witchcraft and the occult. No matter what the essence of Harry’s magic, the effect of it is undoubtedly to raise curiosity about magic and wizardry. And any curiosity raised on this front presents a danger that the world will satisfy it with falsehood before the church or the family can satisfy it with truth. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone definitely raises those curiosities. That, accompanied by violent and scary scenes, a few mild profanities, and hints at moral relativism should be enough to keep families from shouting hurrah for Harry.

Lindy Keffer

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Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone Parent Guide

Harry Potter has finally stepped out of "the cupboard under the stairs" and onto the big screen--an event long anticipated by anyone who knows they are a "Muggle" (someone without magical abilities).

Release date November 13, 2001

Run Time: 152 minutes

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by donna gustafson.

Harry Potter has finally stepped out of “the cupboard under the stairs” and onto the big screen—an event long anticipated by anyone who knows they are a “Muggle” (someone without magical abilities).

The movie faithfully recounts the first novel in J.K. Rowling’s best selling children’s series of an orphaned infant who is left in the care of his neglectful aunt, uncle, and obese cousin. Life changes drastically for the eleven-year-old (Dan Radcliffe) when a letter arrives inviting him to attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Besides revealing his curious genealogy, Harry also learns of his parents’ untimely demise at the hands of the evil Voldemort, a confrontation that left young Harry with his trademark lightning bolt scar.

J.K. Rowling’s books have stirred up a cauldron of debate among parents concerned with the “hocus-pocus” occult themes pervading her works—leaving many as likely to be offended by the portrayals of witchcraft in this movie, as they will be by the fantasy violence. Darkness pervades this film, which offers many scenes brimming with scary music and Halloween like imagery including partially decapitated ghosts, death by magic wand, an evil being who seeks fresh unicorn blood, and a few surprise “boos.” Like the novel, Harry Potter may be too scary for young children.

Yet this softhearted wizard never forgets his love for his parents and the importance of working together to support his friends, allowing him to become a courageous doer of good. If your family has enjoyed the books, chances are your date with Harry at the movies will be just as enchanting.

About author

Donna Gustafson

Harry potter and the philosopher’s stone parents' guide.

If you are a Harry Potter fan, and have read all the books, how does the movie’s interpretation of J.K. Rowling’s work compare to your imagination? Does the movie change the perception that you had from the novels?

Many people are concerned about the positive portrayal of the occult made in the Harry Potter books. How do you feel about the magic and the messages presented in these stories?

The most recent home video release of Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone movie is May 10, 2002. Here are some details…

On November 8, 2011, Warner Bother’s studio is releasing: Harry Potter: The Complete 8-Film Collection (also known as Harry Potter- Years 1-7)

Related home video titles:

Looking for another movie about children endowed with special powers without the occult themes? Check our review of Escape to Witch Mountain . Another film with children who save the day is Spy Kids .

Follow Harry Potter’s other adventures in:

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

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Harry Potter film review

Have you seen any of the Harry Potter films? Practise your reading in English with this film review.

Do the preparation exercise first. Then read the text and do the other exercises.

Preparation

Film review: the harry potter film series.

The Harry Potter film series is famous all over the world and is loved by children, teenagers and adults. It's based on the books by JK Rowling. The first film, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone , was released in 2001. The whole series consists of eight fantasy films. In each film the main character, Harry, is played by Daniel Radcliffe.

The story begins when 11-year-old orphan Harry discovers that his parents were wizards and he starts his education in magic at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. There he makes two close friends, Ron and Hermione, who share his adventures.

Each film ends dramatically, often with a battle between Harry and his worst enemy, the evil wizard Lord Voldemort.

The characters

As well as Harry, Ron and Hermione, there's a huge variety of characters, including students, professors, dark wizards, ghosts and fantasy creatures. Non-magic people are called Muggles. The cast is excellent. The acting's outstanding, and even the strangest of characters are totally believable.

The setting

The films are mainly set in Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which is in an ancient castle. There are moving staircases, portraits which can talk and move, and a dark forest where strange and dangerous creatures live.

The special effects

The special effects are amazing and make magic seem completely possible! The wizards' favourite sport, Quidditch, is played on broomsticks. Different techniques were used to create the effects that make the actors look as if they're flying.

Critic's opinion

The films are imaginative, funny, frightening and, of course, magical! What makes them so successful is that they combine action, fantasy and friendship.

If you like adventure and magic, you'll love the Harry Potter films!

Do you like the Harry Potter films? What other films do you like? Tell us about them!

I am a fan of Harry Potter. My favorite part is 6.

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Harry Potter is a great movie

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The Best Character in Each Harry Potter Movie

Spoiler alert: it's not always Harry!

Harry Potter is one of the most important and influential book franchises in the young adult fantasy genre . First released in 1997, it follows a young boy who learns he is a Chosen One in a hidden world of magic and must develop his arcane skills at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry while dark forces plot in the background. In 2001, Warner Bros released a film adaptation of the first book, which began one of the most financially successful film franchises ever .

One of the saga's strongest is its myriad of multifaceted characters relatable to a wide array of audiences. The films did an admirable job of adapting most, thanks to the stellar casting. Each entry into the saga has its fair share of memorable characters; however, a few key figures stand out in each Harry Potter movie , whether because of their impact on the overall story or the depth the actors bring to their performances.

1 Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe)

'harry potter and the philosopher's stone' (2001).

Known as the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter ( Daniel Radcliffe ) is a living legend in the wizarding world because he defeated the Dark Lord, Voldemort, as an infant. Because Voldemort killed his parents, Harry spends his childhood living with his non-magical relatives, who treat him poorly and tell him nothing of his heritage. When he turns eleven, Harry receives an invitation to join Hogwarts, which sets him on a path of greatness and hardship.

Child actors are always a gamble, but thankfully, Radcliffe nailed Harry's performance from the beginning and only got better with each subsequent film. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone , Radcliffe especially captures Harry's wide-eyed amazement as he, and by extension, the audience takes in the wonders of the wizarding world for the first time. Radcliffe's Harry is also a very likable protagonist , demonstrating good qualities like compassion and courage while not being infallible in the face of temptation. His performance is the perfect way to introduce this world of wonder, and Radcliffe valiantly supports the film on his young but capable shoulders .

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

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2 Ronald Weasley (Rupert Grint)

'harry potter and the chamber of secrets' (2002).

The youngest son of the pureblood Weasley family, Ronald ( Rupert Grint ), becomes Harry's best friend and informer about wizarding culture. When Harry's aunt and uncle refuse to let him go to Hogwarts for his second year, Ron and his brothers, Fred and George ( James and Oliver Phelps ), break him free with their father's flying car. He later flies Harry to Hogwarts in the car, but after crashing it into a Womping Willow, both it and his wand are damaged.

Ron is the standout character from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets , thanks to Grint's phenomenal non-verbal acting. His face contorts into expressive masks of terror during stressful situations, best shown when meeting the giant spider, Aragog ( Julian Glover ), due to Ron's and, as it turns out, Grint's own arachnophobia. Besides that, Ron gets plenty of moments to show his bravery and loyalty to his friends , from standing up to bully Draco Malfoy ( Tom Felton ) to confronting Professor Gilderoy Lockheart ( Sir Kenneth Branagh ) with Harry. Sadly, the future Harry Potter movies fail Ron by reducing him to little more than comic relief, but his role in Chamber of Secrets remains a highlight of the saga.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

3 remus lupin (david thewlis), 'harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban' (2004).

In his youth, Remus Lupin ( David Thewlis ) was turned into a werewolf but was still allowed to attend Hogwarts, where he met his lifelong friends, James Potter ( Adrian Rawlins ), Sirius Black ( Gary Oldman ), and Peter Pettigrew ( Timothy Spall ). He is later hired as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher , using a special potion to help him control his transformations. Lupin forms a close relationship with Harry and teaches him the Patronus Charm to protect him from the emotion-draining Dementors.

Remus Lupin is one of the more complicated and compelling characters in the franchise and by far the best in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban , thanks to his harsh life and close relationship with Harry. Lupin develops a father-figure relationship with Harry at a time when the young boy needs it the most and provides insight into his parent's past, helping the Boy Who Lived come into his own as both a wizard and a teenager. Lupin also gives Harry honest and sound advice, treating him as an equal due to his history of pain and loss. The relationship would remain crucial throughout the saga, but it's at its best and most layered in the third movie.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

4 alastor moody (brendan gleeson), 'harry potter and the goblet of fire' (2005).

One of the greatest living Aurors, Alistar Moody ( Brendan Gleeson ) devotes his life to the capture of dark wizards, regardless of how many body parts he loses along the way. This daredevil approach causes him to develop a paranoid disposition, which, combined with his mechanical eye, gives him the nickname "Mad-Eye." Unfortunately, Mad-Eye can't prevent his capture by Barty Crouch Jr. ( David Tennant ), who takes his form using Polyjuice Potion to sneak into Hogwarts as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher.

While the Moody that appears for most of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is an imposter, it's such a convincing performance that it may as well be the original character, and worth analyzing separately from Barty Crouch Jr. Moody became a beloved figure for his maverick attitude and unorthodox methods of teaching his students , believing that the only way to combat dark magic is to experience it firsthand. Plus, he turns Draco Malfoy ( Tom Felton ) into a ferret, which is one of the funniest scenes in the franchise. Gleeson is very obviously having the time of his life in the role, which comes across in his energetic and magnetic performance.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

5 dolores umbridge (imelda staunton), 'harry potter and the order of the phoenix' (2007).

Fearing that Albus Dumbledore ( Sir Michael Gambon ) is trying to usurp him, Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge ( Robert Hardy ) appoints Dolores Umbridge ( Imelda Staunton ) as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher at Hogwarts. She refuses to teach the students any advanced form of magic and uses corporal punishment to punish any disobedience. Over time, she steadily gains more power, declaring herself Hogwarts High Inquisitor and prompting Harry and his friends to form Dumbledore's Army.

Umbridge is one of the best villains in the Harry Potter franchise and the main reason behind Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 's success. She presents herself with a sickly-sweet disposition, which makes her actions feel all the more wicked due to how it contrasts with how terrible she is to those she has authority over. Yet she also has some complexity to her character, since she is committed to order and upholding the laws of the Ministry of Magic. Played by Oscar nominee Imelda Staunton with the perfect blend of nauseating sweetness and detestable glee, Dolores Umbridge is one of the most memorable figures in the Harry Potter lore and a more engaging villain than Voldemort himself.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

6 albus dumbledore (michael gambon), 'harry potter and the half-blood prince' (2008).

The greatest wizard in living memory, Albust Dumbledore, serves as the headmaster of Hogwarts and Harry's primary mentor while at school. During Harry's sixth year, Dumbledore informs Harry about the history of Voldemort and reveals the existence of the dangerous Horcruxes , which grant the Dark Lord immortality. As they conduct their investigations, Draco Malfoy also plans to kill Dumbledore on Voldemort's orders.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is the film where Gambon truly gets to flex his amazing acting skills as Dumbledore is put through the wringer . The most powerful moments come during the climax, first when Dumbledore drinks a potion that forces him to relive his worst memories and when Draco confronts him in the astronomy tower. Both of these moments show real vulnerability and humanity in Dumbledore, first by showing that even a wizard as great as him has demons to battle and by showing that, even in his worst moments, he is still willing to help others. It's a shame that the Academy always pays the fantasy genre dust because Gambon is so good that it's not an overstatement to say he is Oscar-worthy.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

7 hermione granger (emma watson), 'harry potter and the deathly hallows: part 1' (2010).

Born to two non-magical parents, Hermione Granger ( Emma Wattson ) falls so in love with the wizarding world that she absorbs as much history and knowledge as she can. Her thirst for knowledge makes her an invaluable member of Harry's friend group, using her intellect to solve logic puzzles and research obscure and forbidden spells. When she, Harry, and Ron head off to hunt for Voldemort's Horcruxes, she does most of the planning and preparations, from erasing her parent's memories to keeping the Golden Trio safe to enchanting a bag to hold plenty of items.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 offers Hermione many moments to shine, thanks to the increased focus on her and Ron. She demonstrates tremendous moments of bravery befitting of a Gryffindor , from posing as a fake Harry during the Battle of the Seven Potters to accompanying Harry in the first place on this likely suicidal mission. After Ron temporarily leaves, Hermione also provides emotional support for Harry while dealing with her own heartbreak, demonstrating the strength of their friendship. Hermione is arguably the best character in the entire saga, and Deathly Hallows Part 1 proves why.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1

8 severus snape (alan rickman), 'harry potter and the deathly hallows: part 2' (2011).

Before he was teaching Potions at Hogwarts, Severus Snape ( Alan Rickman ) was a Death Eater in service to Voldemort but defected to save the life of the woman he loved, Lily Potter ( Geraldine Somerville ). Years later, it appears he is still loyal to Voldemort when he kills Dumbledore and takes over as Hogwarts Headmaster. However, Harry learns the truth from Snape's memories: he is a double-double agent, following Dumbledore's orders, even at the cost of his own life.

Rickman received special insight into Severus' character years before the reveal in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 , allowing him to delve deeply into Snape's psyche and convey the complexity of his character. Snape's final moments in Deathly Hallows Part 2 are brilliant , from his cold, almost emotionless expressions while undercover to his emotional death looking into Lily's eyes through Harry's. Yet it is the flashback showing his true motivations that elevates Snape so highly among the fans: despite his many faults and his poor treatment of Harry, Severus still chooses love over hate.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2

NEXT: This Is Why the Harry Potter Prequel Saga 'Fantastic Beasts' Failed

20 Magical Movies Like Harry Potter to Watch Next

T he holiday season is all about having fun. What can be more fun than getting under your coziest blanket and having a glorious Harry Potter movie marathon? The Harry Potter franchise is a winter staple nowadays, and no matter how many times we watch the series, we can't seem to get enough. The films follow a young Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) as he moves through each year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he faces some of the darkest and most threatening forces in the Wizarding World.

The Harry Potter franchise is one of history's most immersive and complex film franchises. With that, the magic, fun, and nostalgia attached to it are something we all search for beyond the confines of the films themselves. There are many films out there that create the same allure as Harry Potter , from the fantastical sense of adventure to the coming-of-age themes. Come with us as we explore more films and franchises that harness the same sense of magic as the Harry Potter franchise once did.

Fantastic Beasts Franchise (2016-2022)

Starting off on the most predictable foot, the Fantastic Beasts prequel spin-off series is the closest you can get to just watching the Harry Potter films. This series takes place in the same universe as the Harry Potter films, but decades before its events. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them came out in 2016, followed by The Crimes of Grindelwald in 2018 and The Secrets of Dumbledore in 2022. These films follow the adventures of one Newt Scamander, played by Eddie Redmayne, and explore the deep lore surrounding the intricate history of the Wizarding World.

What Makes It Great

Although the Fantastic Beasts franchise fell short of recreating the magic of the original Harry Potter series, some of the elements we all know and love are expanded upon. Some of the slang is there, some creatures and spells are familiar, and if diving deep into Harry Potter history is your thing, the Fantastic Beasts series is the perfect next watch for you. What these films have going for them is the nostalgia factor through and through. Stream on Max

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005)

The chronicles of narnia: the lion, the witch and the wardrobe.

Release Date 2005-12-07

Director Andrew Adamson

Cast Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, Skandar Keynes, Georgie Henley, James McAvoy, William Moseley

Main Genre Adventure

Part of Harry Potter 's magic falls upon the fantasy adventure aspect, especially since it is primarily set in its own intricate world. Another book-to-film adaptation that takes this level of adventure and magical fantasy to a whole new level is The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe .

This 2005 film follows the four Pevensie siblings as they flee their home in the midst of World War II. In their new home, the youngest sibling, Lucy (Georgie Henley), stumbles upon a wardrobe that transports her and her siblings into the magical land of Narnia where they are destined to fight the White Witch, played by Tilda Swinton.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the perfect post- Harry Potter watch. There are mystical creatures, a magic system, epic action sequences, and four interlocked coming-of-age stories. The Narnia franchise perfected the young adult fantasy genre, and this film delivers every sense of nostalgia and wonder you could want. With more buzz surrounding Greta Gerwig's upcoming adaptation , the time is now to revisit Narnia. Stream on Hulu and Disney+

The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010)

The sorcerer's apprentice.

Release Date 2010-07-13

Director Jon Turteltaub

Cast Jay Baruchel, Alfred Molina, Toby Kebbell, Nicolas Cage, Ethan Peck, Monica Bellucci

Main Genre Action

Magic has always been at the center of what makes Harry Potter special. Well, take a young kid and toss him into a world of magic he once thought impossible, and you get a story like The Sorcerer's Apprentice . Starring Nicolas Cage as the mentor, Balthazar Blake, and Jay Baruchel as the apprentice, David Stutler, this film is a magical journey you want to go on. We follow David's apprenticeship as he harnesses the beginnings of his sorcery talents. Along the way, he finds his life in danger and a love story that could complicate things.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice is not presented as the kind of fantasy film that would seemingly stand out. However, a pleasant surprise, the film is entirely wholesome and full of charm. The cast is charismatic, and with such an adventurous and goofy plot, this film is just a lot of fun magic that makes it a great pick after the Harry Potter films. Stream on Disney+

Percy Jackson Franchise (2010-2013)

In the era where YA book-to-film adaptations were all the rage, and we got masterpieces like The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Maze Runner , we also got the Percy Jackson series. These films are adaptations of the book series by Rick Riordan. The first film, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief , follows Percy (Logan Lerman) when he finds out that he is a demigod with a mortal mother and Poseidon as his father. He is brought to Camp Half-Blood to learn the tricks of the trade and ends up encountering some new friends and foes that drag him into some dangerous adventures.

Mystical bloodlines, magic, and Greek mythology are a great jump from the Harry Potter series. The Percy Jackson films were not exactly what fans wanted in an adaptation, as they fell short in some aspects. However, the deep love for Lerman's portrayal of Percy Jackson was never questioned. With the upcoming Disney+ series reboot, which is full of promise and a young and bright-eyed cast, the Percy Jackson films are a great way to introduce yourself to the world. Stream on Disney+

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016)

2016's Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is a fantasy adventure film that somehow manages to utilize its own peculiarities to stand in the same realm as Harry Potter . The film follows a young boy named Jake, who comes across the magical Miss Peregrine's School for Peculiar Children. Here, Jake learns that the other children there have a unique set of powers. He is now on a journey to discover his own in order to save the day.

This Tim Burton film is as mystical and magical as it is quirky and sometimes dark. There is a sense of mystery that envelopes this movie's plot, roping us into a world unknown much like Harry's journey in the Wizarding World. As another book-to-film adaptation, there was a lot of pressure for this film to live up to book standards, and yet, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children stands a child's dark magic dream film, if you ask us. Stream on Disney+

Related: The Harry Potter Movies Are the Perfect Cozy Christmas Binge

The Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

Bridge to terabithia.

Release Date 2007-02-15

Director Gabor Csupo

Cast Kate Butler, Bailee Madison, Josh Hutcherson, Zooey Deschanel, Robert Patrick, AnnaSophia Robb

Grab your tissues and run. With the internet resurfacing our obsession with Josh Hutcherson , there is no way to forget the film Bridge to Terabithia . This young-adult fantasy film follows Jesse Aarons (Hutcherson) and his newfound friendship with Leslie Burke (AnnaSophia Robb). The two use the power of childhood imagination to conjure up a fictional realm called Terabithia, where they come across magical creatures and other fantastical elements their minds could hardly wrap around. The two find refuge in this imaginary land in order to escape the hardships of their reality.

You're going to cry: Bridge to Terabithia is a film designed to send tears down your face. Nostalgia is a powerful thing and many of us remember where we were when this movie emotionally destroyed our young hearts. Both Hutcherson and Robb are relatable and lovable. And, above all, the film is deeply wholesome and full of wonder. Stream on Disney+

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003)

As far as beloved fantasy series go, nothing holds a candle to Harry Potter like The Lord of the Rings does. The Lord of the Rings trilogy — comprising The Fellowship of the Ring , The Two Towers , and The Return of the King — is epic high fantasy at its finest. The film follows a very important ring that ends up in the hands of a very ordinary Frodo Baggins, played by Elijah Wood, who, along with the Fellowship, must bring the Ring to Mordor to destroy it and save Middle-earth.

The entire Middle-earth franchise, which includes The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy, is almost the perfect thing to watch if you loved Harry Potter. The sense of fantasy in the films' world-building and the magic of building a franchise is hard to recreate. However, both Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings do a fantastic job of taking audiences and fans to places they never thought possible. Stream on Prime Video

The Hobbit Trilogy (2013-2014)

The great thing about The Hobbit trilogy — which consists of An Unexpected Journey , The Desolation of Smaug , and The Battle of the Five Armies — is that you can either watch it after the Lord of the Rings trilogy or before, and still appreciate its expansion of Tolkien's lore.

A prequel to the events of The Fellowship of the Ring and after, The Hobbit sees Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) as he embarks on an unexpected journey across Middle-earth and first comes across the One Ring . Familiar faces like Sir Ian McKellen's Gandalf, Cate Blanchett's Galadriel, and Hugo Weaving's Elrond make appearances of varying degrees in this trilogy, which is a treat for LOTR fans.

The Hobbit marked Peter Jackson's return to Middle-earth after almost a decade since the release of The Return of the King . With the advancement of cinema technology between the two trilogies, he was able to bring a more vibrant and spectacular Middle-earth to the big screen. The Hobbit may not have been without its flaws, but it served as a great introduction to Tolkien's stories for a new generation of fantasy film-lovers, particularly those who had aged out of Harry Potter (which ended the year prior) and were ready for something more mature. Stream on Max

Doctor Strange (2016)

Doctor strange.

Release Date 2016-10-25

Director Scott Derrickson

Cast Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Amy Landecker, Michael Stuhlbarg, Tilda Swinton, Benedict Cumberbatch

Rating PG-13

Magic in the MCU was brought to the forefront with the epic introduction of Doctor Strange . Played by the fantastic Benedict Cumberbatch, Dr. Strange is an MCU Avenger who started off as an arrogant doctor living a life of luxury in New York. After a tragic accident that left the mobility in his hands detrimental to his career, Strange seeks out a magical loophole to hopefully get his career back. Instead, he finds something even more thrilling.

Doctor Strange has easily become one of the most beloved heroes in the MCU. Cumberbatch breathes a comedic and sophisticated life into the Marvel hero, who works expertly with the other characters (from Rachel McAdams' Christine to Benedict Wong's Wong). This film brings together adventure, action, and, of course, magic into our worlds like nothing else. If any MCU film is going to serve as your next magical adventure, it has to be Doctor Strange. Stream on Disney+

Seventh Son (2014)

Seventh son.

Release Date 2014-12-12

Director Sergey Bodrov

Cast Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges, Olivia Williams, Kit Harington, Ben Barnes, Antje Traue

In the 2014 film Seventh Son , audiences follow the clash between Master Gregory, played by Jeff Bridges, and Mother Malkin, played by Julianne Moore. Mother Malkin was an evil witch who was defeated and imprisoned by Master Gregory, and after many years, she escapes and is thirsty for revenge. In order to take her down once again, Master Gregory takes Tom Ward (Ben Barnes) as an apprentice, and the two navigate the world of magic.

More than just the appeal of Ben Barnes, this film is adventurous and full of some of the best fantasy elements that could be used in film, such as adventure, a unique magic system, and a threatening woman antagonist. With a fantastic cast, including Barnes, the incomparable Julianne Moore, Jeff Bridges, Alicia Vikander, and Kit Harrington, Seventh Son should be on your watch list ASAP. Rent on Prime Video

Related: The Best TV Series About Magic, Ranked

The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018)

2018's The House with a Clock in Its Walls is a fantasy film that is perfect for the whole family. Investigating a mysterious noise from an old and abandoned house sounds like a great activity for 10-year-old Lewis (Owen Vaccaro) and his Uncle Jonathan (Jack Black). Here, Lewis learns that his uncle and their neighbor have magic powers that lead to Lewis breathing new life into the undead. The town he once knew emerges as a cesspool of witches and warlocks alike.

Any movie with Jack Black is going to be a fun ride. This has just the right amount of mystery and magic to keep audiences interested. What's more, the cast is extremely fun and charismatic — a bonus to this solid fantasy film. Releasing at a time when fantasy was at its peak on television (courtesy of Game of Thrones ), while fantasy on the big screen was falling behind, The House with a Clock in Its Walls was a solid effort to restore magic and wonder in theaters. Stream on Hulu

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium (2007)

Mr. magorium's wonder emporium.

Release Date 2007-11-14

Director Zach Helm

Cast Paula Boudreau, Madalena Brancatella, Ted Ludzik, Natalie Portman, Zach Mills, Dustin Hoffman

Main Genre Comedy

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium stars Dustin Hoffman as Mr. Magorium, Natalie Portman as Molly Mahoney, and Jason Bateman as Henry. The film surrounds the wondrous and magical Wonder Emporium that is owned by 243-year-old Mr. Edward Magorium. However, once Magorium places the responsibility on his manager, Molly, the Emporium's mood shifts. Molly and accountant, Henry, are left to figure out how to manage the Emporium's magic to make it in the business.

Fantasy films are always meant to be fun. And, here, we are taken to the purest corners of childish imagination. This film is whimsical, colorful, and full of life. Just think about the stores in Diagon Alley in Harry Potter , and how they are full of magic and mystery around every turn — Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium captures that perfectly and then some. Buy on Apple TV

Abigail (2019)

One of the best parts of the Harry Potter franchise is the integration of dark magic. 2019's Abigail dives all the way into a world of dark magic that makes it a needed entry on this list. In the film, a young Abigail (Tinatin Dalakishvili) has been locked within the walls of a city, a necessary protection to keep the population safe from disease. However, in a search to find her missing father, Abigail discovers that she also has magical powers.

Seeing dark magic at the forefront of a film is an interesting premise that immediately sets Abigail apart from Harry Potter and many other films on this list, which makes this one worth a watch. That said, it remains faithful to the magical movie subgenre, offering complex world-building, characters to root for, and a visual feast for the eyes. Stream on Prime Video

Matilda (1996)

Release Date 1996-08-02

Director Danny DeVito

Cast Pam Ferris, Danny DeVito, Paul Reubens, Mara Wilson, Rhea Perlman, Embeth Davidtz

A young kid with powers they have trouble navigating that is also mistreated by their family? Sounds Harry-Potter -coded to us. Matilda came out in 1966 and follows Matilda Wormwood ( played by Mara Wilson ), a young genius who is living in a "me against the world" environment. She is neglected at home by her own family, and she is constantly tormented by a classmate at school. However, Matilda, the gifted and resilient girl she is, discovers the telekinesis powers that she uses to protect herself and her friends.

The nostalgia we have attached to this film is so comforting. Matilda is hilarious and the addition of some dark undertones makes this film something special. The genius of Roald Dahl's mind comes to life in this film adaptation of his beloved story, and we cannot get enough of it. In many ways, Matilda primed audiences for Harry Potter , bringing us into the world of a young girl navigating her magical powers. Stream on Roku

Now You See Me (2013)

Now you see me.

Release Date 2013-05-29

Director Louis Leterrier

Cast Mlanie Laurent, Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco

Main Genre Crime

Harry Potter is magic — real magic. However, what about some magic that can exist in the world we live in? Now You See Me is a film that leans into the kind of magic that we see in a real-life show. There is sleight of hand, tricky illusions, and heart-stopping stunts.

Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman, and Isla Fisher, this film follows a band of misfit magicians who come together to create the greatest magic act (and heist) known to man. However, along the way, the group gets caught up in some testy encounters with law enforcement, and they become fugitives.

Entertainment is the main goal of magicians in our reality. Well, this film is entertainment at its finest. Now You See Me is such a standout film and is designed to take you on a wild and magical journey full of twists and turns that even the best of us could not predict. The film is perfectly cast and the fast-paced nature of the plot will have you at the edge of your seat from start to finish. Stream on Max

Stardust (2007)

Love is a theme that spans throughout the entirety of all eight Harry Potter films. Love is also the takeoff point in the adventure fantasy film Stardust . In the film, a young man named Tristan (Charlie Cox) goes on an adventure to find a fallen star that he believes will win over his lover Victoria (Sienna Miller). Instead of retrieving the stone, Tristan is met with Yvaine (Claire Danes), a woman whose power is valuable to more than one foe.

This 2007 adventure fantasy has a star-studded cast including Danes and Cox, but also Henry Cavill as Humphrey, Michelle Pfeiffer as Lamia, and Ben Barnes as Dunstan Thorn. Magic kingdoms, super-powerful magical beings, and evil witches make up a recipe for a great fantasy film. Stardust is such an unexpected gem in the fantasy realm, and cannot be missed. Stream on Prime Video and Paramount+

The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)

The Spiderwick Chronicles is a 2008 fantasy adventure film that follows a family that faces the introduction of magic into their ordinary world. The Grace family has provided Jared, one of the three Grace children, with the title of a resident troublemaker. Therefore, when the family moves, and strange things start to happen, and Jared is thought to be the culprit. However, a magical book that Jared finds could be the key to handling the magical creatures that stalk the grounds of the old estate.

There are magic and magical creatures — what could be more Harry Potter ? This film is pure fantasy. The plot is face-paced, has high stakes, and is full of adventure and action. Also, actors Freddie Highmore, Sarah Bolger, Seth Rogen, and David Strathairn are perfect in their roles. Stream on Prime Video and Paramount+

Coraline (2009)

Release Date 2009-02-05

Director Henry Selick

Cast Teri Hatcher, Keith David, Dawn French, John Hodgman, Jennifer Saunders, Dakota Fanning

Main Genre Animation

The Harry Potter franchise does a great job at mixing dark and horror elements with whimsical childhood wonder. The stop-motion animated film Coraline does just that, too. The 2009 film follows a young Coraline as she explores the ins and outs of her new home. When she comes across a secret door, she enters an alternate universe that is almost a mirror of her reality. However, in this alternate universe, everyone has buttons for eyes, and they are ready to do everything they can to get her to stay there.

Coraline is one of the darkest and creepiest children's films out there. This film feels like pure imagination and wonder come to life, and there are magical aspects throughout. However, it is the story that draws people in; themes of family, loss, and coming-of-age are standouts. Coraline has garnered such a passionate cult following and is easily one of the best-animated films of all time. Stream on Max

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Alice in wonderland.

Release Date 2010-03-03

Director Tim Burton

Cast Crispin Glover, Matt Lucas, Anne Hathaway, Johnny Depp, Mia Wasikowska, Helena Bonham Carter

Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland utilizes a more whimsical and fairytale style of fantasy than Harry Potter . Starring Mia Wasikowska as Alice, this classic story follows Alice after she flees her own wedding and ends up falling down the rabbit hole. After landing in Wonderland, Alice begins to piece together her role in the ongoing Wonderland conflict involving the threatening Red Queen, played by Helena Bonham Carter.

Alice in Wonderland is a story we all know and love. Tim Burton's distinct style has left a lasting impression on the film world, and the implementation of his visual trademarks into such a bright and charismatic story makes for a unique and engaging watch. This film is full of charm and is sure to knock your socks off. Stream on Disney+

Howl's Moving Castle (2004)

Howl's moving castle.

Release Date 2004-11-19

Director Hayao Miyazaki

Cast Mitsunori Isaki, Akihiro Miwa, Chieko Baisho, Rynosuke Kamiki, Tatsuya Gashin, Takuya Kimura

If there is any animated franchise out there that does magic in such a masterful way, we have to give it to Studio Ghibli. Specifically, Howl's Moving Castle is the film that you should be watching after Harry Potter . This film follows a wizard named Howl, who befriends a young woman named Sophie. After a pretty ordinary life, Sophie is ready to take on an adventure with Howl and his magic flying castle. However, not all is sunshine and rainbows: the pair is forced to navigate a curse placed on Sophie by the Witch of Waste.

Howl's Moving Castle is a must-watch for any fan of Studio Ghibli. The breathtaking animation is a given, the storyline is adventurous, and the characters are lovable beyond belief. Beyond the magical aspect of this animated film, Howl's Moving Castle is one of those films that will stick with you long after the credits roll. Like Harry Potter , it will leave you wishing you could transport yourself into Howl and Sophie's world. Stream on Max

Harry Potter Series Reimagined at Audible With 100+ Voice Actors

J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter novels will be reimagined into a new series of audiobooks.

Harry Potter fans are in for a treat because the seven books will be reimagined with a brand-new audiobook series. J.K. Rowling's seven books were released between 1997 and 2007.

Amazon Audible is joining forces with Pottermore Publishing for the series, slated for release in late 2025, Variety reports. The original Harry Potter audiobooks were released starting 1999, and were narrated by Stephen Fry and Jim Dale. However, the new ones will be reimagined with over 100 voice actors.

Daniel Radcliffe Doesn't Think He Was Very Good in the Harry Potter Films

The upcoming series will be available exclusively on Audible, and it will include full-cast productions. The new audiobook series will “ bring these iconic stories to life as never heard before .” The new audiobooks will provide “ immersive audio entertainment through high-quality sound design in Dolby Atmos, stunning scoring, a full range of character voices and real-world sound capture ,” Audible and Pottermore Publishing said.

Audible CEO Bob Carrigan expressed his excitement about the project, noting the enduring appeal of the Harry Potter stories. "With millions upon millions of Audible listeners devouring Harry Potter at an astonishing rate, we are thrilled about the opportunity to be part of this next chapter — delighting new and old fans alike with a reinvigorated listening experience that Audible is expertly positioned to create."

Neil Blair, chairman of Pottermore Publishing, shared about the upcoming project: "We’re certain this sophisticated, immersive audio experience will not only add a new listening dimension for existing fans but will introduce a whole new generation of listeners to the wizarding world .”

At the time of publishing, there are no other official details about the content specifics, global release dates, or voice casting. Audible's current Harry Potter collection has the stars of the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them star Eddie Redmayne reading the eponymous book, Dan Fogler reading Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald - Makers, Mysteries and Magic: A Behind the Scenes Documentary , and Jude Law narrating The Tales of Beedle the Bard .

Other famous names include Game of Thrones ' Natalie Dormer, who narrated Harry Potter: A History of Magic , Harry Potter 's Warwick Davis, who narrated another version of The Tales of Beedle the Bard , and The Walking Dead 's Andrew Lincoln, who narrated Quidditch Through the Ages , among others.

J.K. Rowling Children's Book Set for Feature Film Adaptation

The new seven books will accompany the upcoming harry potter reboot.

It's been over a decade and a half since the last of the seven Harry Potter books , Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows , came out in 2007. The last film, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part Two , came out in 2011. However, the excitement and interest in the Wizarding World hasn't lessened. Despite the ongoing controversy with the series' author J.K. Rowling and her comments about transgender rights, some fans decided to separate their love for Harry Potter from its author.

In April 2023, Warner Bros. announced Harry Potter would be rebooted into a TV series, set to release on its streaming service, Max. The studio is currently looking for a showrunner based on its latest update, and the TV series will reportedly follow the books more closely with a 10-season plan. The original Harry Potter cast isn't tapped to return.

The eight Harry Potter films are available to stream on Max.

Source: Variety

Screen Rant

Next year's wizarding world release will ease the wait for hbo's harry potter tv remake.

HBO's Harry Potter remake won't premiere until 2026, but, lucky for us, another Wizarding World release in 2025 will make this long wait a lot easier.

• Audible's full-cast Harry Potter audio production offers a more detailed and immersive experience than traditional audiobooks, bringing the beloved story to life in a whole new way.
• Warner Bros' upcoming Harry Potter TV remake promises to fill the gaps left by the original movies, creating a more faithful adaptation with a deeper exploration of key moments and characters.
• While the Harry Potter TV remake won't be completed until 2036, Audible's audio production is set to release much faster, providing fans with a quicker and nearly as exciting way to experience the magical world of Harry Potter.

We still have a long wait before HBO's Harry Potter remake premieres, but a new Wizarding World release will make the time go by a little faster. Following the announcement that Warner Bros and HBO's TV remake would be coming sometime in 2026, Pottermore Publishing announced an unexpected addition to the franchise that would be arriving first. Though the project isn't quite as large in scale as a TV show, this Harry Potter adaptation can satisfy our need for a more book-faithful version of Harry's story a little sooner than expected.

Warner Bros' original Harry Potter movies concluded back in 2011, but the franchise as a whole didn't end with it. The Wizarding World is more significant than ever, with new generations discovering the magical story year after year. Unfortunately, the Fantastic Beasts movies didn't perform quite as well as their predecessors, revealing a need for new installments that are more faithful to the beloved Harry Potter books . The answer to this seemed to be HBO's remake, which is meant to be a far more in-depth screen adaptation than the movies. Still, there's more to come than just this.

HBO's Harry Potter TV Show: Updates & Everything We Know

Audible is producing a full-cast audio production of the harry potter books in 2025, amazon's audible & pottermore publishing are coming together to adapt all the harry potter books into audio productions.

Amazon's Audible and Pottermore Publishing announced in April 2024 that a new full-cast audio production of all seven Harry Potter books was in the works, with the first installment expected to be released near the end of 2025 . The dramatized audiobooks will feature over 100 voice actors, each portraying characters like Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Rubeus Hagrid, and much, much more. They will also come to life through quality sound through Dolby Atmos, with a full musical score and "real-world sound capture." In all, this Harry Potter production will have everything aside from the visual element .

Of course, traditional Harry Potter audiobooks are already available on Audible. These were recorded with narrators Jim Dale and Steven Fry beginning in 1999 and, according to Audible, have garnered over 1.4 billion global listening hours. As beloved as these versions of J.K. Rowling's books are, the upcoming full-cast audio productions will be far more dramatized and will lack the traditional narration of a book. In this way, Harry's story will be told at a level in which it never has before , without any of the pesky omissions of Warner Bros Harry Potter movies.

The Harry Potter audiobooks narrated by Jim Dale and Steven Fry will still be available on Audible after the 2025 audio productions are released.

Audible's Harry Potter Production Can Contain All The Moments The Harry Potter Movies Missed

Audible will adapt missed harry potter moments before hbo has a chance.

The primary draw of HBO's Harry Potter remake is the chance to finally see the plotlines , characters, and key moments that the Warner Bros movies cut. There are significant limitations to film, and a TV show adaptation of the books will have a lot more time to include every layer of Harry's story. Things like the Marauders' story, the Quidditch World Cup, SPEW, Barty Crouch Jr's story, Harry's day-to-day at Hogwarts, and much much more can finally be brought to life, with full episodes available to cover each. Of course, we have quite a long way to go before this becomes a reality.

Each installment can go several hours long, and with such an extensive cast and excellent sound quality, listeners can be fully immersed in scenes that have thus far never made it off the page.

Though the full-cast Harry Potter audio production can't bring these moments to a screen, it will still be free of the limitations that held back Warner Bros' movies. Each installment can go several hours long, and with such an extensive cast and excellent sound quality, listeners can be fully immersed in scenes that have thus far never made it off the page. Everything from Peeves heckling Mr. Filch to Percy crying over Fred Weasley's death at the Battle of Hogwarts can finally play out in more than just our imaginations. It's the book-faithful adaptation everyone has been begging for , just in an unexpected format.

A Harry Potter Audio Production Will Be Far Less Divisive Than HBO's Remake

Hbo's harry potter remake is already facing heavy criticism.

In some ways, an audio production of Harry Potter will go over better than HBO's 2026 TV remake. The upcoming series has been divisive for an array of reasons. Though many are excited for a chance to see a book-faithful adaptation, others find that it competes too much with the already beloved Harry Potter movies. The idea of recasting actors like Alan Rickman, Michael Gambon, and Robbie Coltrane is uncomfortable , and J.K. Rowling's controversial involvement with the HBO TV show adds further fuel to the fire. No matter how the series is approached, it's sure to be criticized heavily.

Additionally, after the shortcomings of the Fantastic Beasts movies, Warner Bros has been accused of using the Harry Potter remake as a money grab, capitalizing on the ongoing fandom without putting thought into extending the franchise. This is supported by the fact that the Harry Potter movies concluded only just over a decade ago, so the remake is coming surprisingly early. In comparison, an audio production of the Harry Potter books is a far more honest and logical endeavor and is far less likely to cause controversy within the Wizarding World fandom. As an entirely different medium, it won't step on any toes.

The Full Harry Potter Audio Production Will Release Much Faster Than The Harry Potter TV Remake

Hbo's harry potter remake won't be finished until about 2036.

Another benefit of Audible's audio production over the Harry Potter remake is that it won't take nearly as long to produce. Warner Bros and HBO made 2026 the release window for Harry Potter season 1 , which is three years after the series was announced. From there, the release window will vary between one and two years between seasons, with the installment depicting Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows not expected until 2036. Therefore, even after the Harry Potter remake has started, it will be a pretty long time before we see moments like the true final battle between Harry and Voldemort brought to the small screen.

Though the audio production of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone won't be released on Audible until 2025, the subsequent installments will likely fit within a much smaller timeline. Without the need for visual effects, these dramatizations will be far quicker to produce. It's probable that the entire series will be completed and available to the public before we are even halfway through HBO's remake . So, while there is a lot to look forward to with the Harry Potter TV show, the Audible production is a far shorter-term (and nearly as good) option. It's at least enough to hold everyone over until the bigger production premieres.

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.