Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire introduced a lot of world-building (Image: Warner Bros)
Today on Harry Potter’s birthday (July 31) we take a look back at all eight films in the extremely popular fantasy franchise. Harry Potter continues to be one of the most successful film franchises of all time, joining the likes of Star Wars, James Bond and the Marvel Cinematic Universe after leaving a lasting mark on popular culture.
J.K. Rowling’s original seven-book series, first published in 1997, holds the Guinness World Record for “best-selling book series for children” after over 600 million copies were sold worldwide. Meanwhile, the iconic film adaptations of Rowling’s novels and various spin-offs have grossed an estimated total of $9.5 billion worldwide.
Now, HBO is adapting the novels into a new television series, recently announcing members of the new cast in an exciting update.
Fans often debate the order in which both the books and films should be ranked – and it seems there is a bit of a disparity between the two. Without further ado, here is our official ranking of the films alongside the original book series.
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Harry, Hermione and Ron are at the centre of every story (Image: Warner Bros)
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 feels like half a story, and that’s because it is.
The film has plenty of momentum, but none of the pay-off and for that reason, it’s coming in last place.
There is also a weird forced love triangle that doesn’t really feature in the book, and the absence of Hogwarts as a central location is keenly felt when the tone is this bleak.
7. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
The second instalment of the Harry Potter series is next up, which is no surprise as The Chamber of Secrets also finishes last in our book rankings.
Between the introduction of Dobby and our first glimpse of Voldermort’s dark past, there’s still a lot to like.
However, this is arguably the weakest story of the bunch and, with a long 161-minute runtime, the film definitely tries too hard to cram everything from the book into the movie.
Book ranked number 7: Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
6. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is one of the strongest stories in the franchise, as it feels like a much more character-focused plot, providing many intriguing relationship insights and revelations.
However, these nuances don’t always necessarily translate that well onto the screen and, while the film does nail a lot of challenging material from the books, the dramatic tonal shift in its final act still feels a bit jarring.
Book ranked number 6: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
Imelda Staunton plays Dolores Umbridge in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Image: Warner Bros)
5. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
The film that started it all is wonderfully nostalgic, colourful and whimsical.
The story is simpler and the child actors are still finding their feet at this point, which is why it doesn’t rank higher, but it is always a real joy to revisit nonetheless.
Book ranked number 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
4. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Over the years, many fans have described The Goblet of Fire as more of a ‘side quest’ in the overall franchise, but there are actually plenty of important revelations throughout, not to mention the epic showdown between Harry and Voldemort in the graveyard.
The whole idea of the Triwizard Tournament also works really well, bringing a whole new dimension to the story and allowing for a lot of colourful world-building that translates wonderfully to the screen.
Book ranked number 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban is a cinematic classic (Image: Warner Bros)
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The series’ epic final chapter does a fantastic job of delivering an ending with real emotional depth that feels truly earned.
The cast also turn in some brilliant performances that are sure to leave you in tears, whilst the final battle scenes are also spectacular.
Book ranked number 3: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
The Order of the Phoenix movie is arguably even more impressive than the book with some incredible cinematography and CGI.
In this film fans are also introduced to some stand-out characters such as Luna Lovegood and Dolores Umbridge, brought to life by Evanna Lynch and Imelda Staunton.
Moreover, the final scenes in the ministry of magic, including Dumbledore and Voldemort’s explosive showdown, are truly spellbinding.
Book ranked number 2: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
There’s a reason The Prisoner of Azkaban is considered the ultimate Harry Potter classic.
Not only did this movie establish the creative direction of the films moving forward, but it is also a perfectly-crafted story that holds the viewer’s attention from beginning to end.
The world-building is exceptional, from the Dementors on the train, to the trippy Knightbus journey, to beautifully executed time-turner sequence.
Director Alfonso Cuarón’s creative abilities cannot be overstated, and the franchise has a lot to thank him for as he ensured the magic continued after Chris Columbus’ departure.
Book ranked number 1: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
All eight Harry Potter films are available to stream now on Netflix.