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Franchise Hub
Harry Potter / Wizarding World
Harry Potter and Wizarding World movies, games and news in one place.
About Harry Potter / Wizarding World
Harry Potter is the film franchise adapted from J.K. Rowling's best-selling novels, following a young wizard's years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Warner Bros. released eight main films between 2001 and 2011, making it one of the highest-grossing film franchises in history, and later expanded the universe with the Fantastic Beasts prequel series.
Beyond film, the Wizarding World brand spans theme parks, stage plays like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and video games such as Hogwarts Legacy, while a new HBO television adaptation of the original novels has been announced to retell the story in series form.
The original eight-film series, based on J.K. Rowling's seven novels, crossed a combined $7 billion at the worldwide box office and holds the Guinness World Record for highest-grossing fantasy film series. Warner Bros. has since expanded the property into the Fantastic Beasts prequel series and stage production Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, with an HBO television adaptation of the original novels also in development.
History
1997–2007
Source novels
J.K. Rowling publishes the seven-book Harry Potter series, becoming one of the best-selling book series of all time.
2001–2011
Main film series
Warner Bros. adapts all seven novels into eight films, following the same core cast across a decade of production.
2016–2022
Fantastic Beasts era
A prequel film series set decades earlier expands the Wizarding World, following magizoologist Newt Scamander.
2025–
HBO television adaptation
A new HBO series is announced to retell the original novels in long-form television, with a new cast separate from the film series.
Key People
J.K. Rowling Author / Creator
Wrote the seven original Harry Potter novels that the film series is based on, and has remained involved as a producer and writer on later Wizarding World projects.
David Heyman Producer
Produced all eight original films and has continued producing Wizarding World projects since.
David Yates Director
Directed the final four original films (Order of the Phoenix through Deathly Hallows Part 2) as well as the Fantastic Beasts films.
Heroes & Villains
Heroes
Harry Potter Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, 1997 (novel); 2001 (film)
Played by Daniel Radcliffe across all eight films.
Hermione Granger Philosopher's Stone, 1997/2001
Played by Emma Watson.
Ron Weasley Philosopher's Stone, 1997/2001
Played by Rupert Grint.
Albus Dumbledore Philosopher's Stone, 1997/2001
Played by Richard Harris in the first two films and Michael Gambon afterward.
Villains
Lord Voldemort Philosopher's Stone, 1997/2001
Played by Ralph Fiennes from Goblet of Fire onward, the series' central antagonist.
Bellatrix Lestrange Order of the Phoenix, 2003/2007
Played by Helena Bonham Carter.
Draco Malfoy Philosopher's Stone, 1997/2001
Played by Tom Felton; a recurring antagonist and classmate rival to Harry.
Dolores Umbridge Order of the Phoenix, 2003/2007
Played by Imelda Staunton.
Key Harry Potter / Wizarding World Releases
| Title | Year | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone | 2001 | Launched the film franchise |
| Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 | 2011 | Concluded the original eight-film series |
| Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | 2016 | Began the prequel spin-off series |
| Hogwarts Legacy | 2023 | A major open-world video game set in the Wizarding World |
Financials
| Franchise box office | The original eight films crossed a combined $7 billion worldwide |
|---|---|
| Guinness record | Guinness World Records recognizes the franchise as the highest-grossing fantasy film series |
Figures cover the original eight-film series and don't include the separate Fantastic Beasts films, stage productions, or games revenue.
How It Compares
| Compared To | Key Difference |
|---|---|
| The Lord of the Rings | Both are adapted from completed book series, but Harry Potter's seven novels were released over the course of the film adaptations, while Tolkien's trilogy was finished decades before filming began. |
| Star Wars | Harry Potter's story follows one largely linear book-to-film adaptation, while Star Wars has continually added new, original trilogies and spin-offs beyond its source material. |
Trivia & Fan Culture
Same three leads, eight films
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint played their roles across all eight original films, a decade-long commitment that began when all three were children.
Diagon Alley recreated at Universal
Universal Studios built full theme-park recreations of the Wizarding World, including Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, extending the franchise beyond film.
Final film split in two
Deathly Hallows, the final novel, was split into two films (2010 and 2011) to cover its events in full.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the new HBO Harry Potter show a reboot of the films?
It's a new television adaptation of J.K. Rowling's original novels with a new cast, separate from and not replacing the original film series.
How many Fantastic Beasts films were made?
Three Fantastic Beasts films were released between 2016 and 2022, telling a prequel story set decades before the main Harry Potter timeline.
How many Harry Potter films are there?
The original series includes eight films based on J.K. Rowling's seven novels, with the final book split into two films.
Is Fantastic Beasts part of the same franchise?
Yes — Fantastic Beasts is a prequel series set in the same Wizarding World, written by J.K. Rowling, though it follows different characters decades before Harry's story.
Did the same actors play the lead roles throughout?
Yes — Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint played Harry, Hermione and Ron across all eight original films.
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