Harry Potter Movies in Order

There are very few things in life that manage to capture the imagination of millions of people the world over. Something that manages to instigate even the most incurious person into picking up a book just to fathom what all the fuss is about. And what I am talking about is none other than the Harry Potter series. These books, written by well-known author, J. K. Rowling have managed to sell millions of copies and have become a worldwide phenomenon. The rights for the book were bought by Warner Brothers for one million pounds! J. K. Rowling insisted that when the movies are made, most of the cast comprises British actors. So, for all those that are new or who wish to know a little more about what happens in the movies, here is a list of Harry Potter movies in order.

#1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001)
The first movie released in 2001 and introduced the main cast to readers. Daniel Radcliffe was cast as Harry Potter, Emma Watson as Hermione Granger and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasly. The screenplay was written by Steve Kloves while the movie was directed by Chris Columbus. This movie was released as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in some parts of the world. This movie shows us how Harry is ill treated as a child at the Dursley's household. Soon, a letter arrives for him informing him that he has been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Despite his uncle Vernon's best efforts to deny him from going, Harry eventually goes to Hogwarts where he befriends Hermione and Ron. There Harry comes to know more about his family and the evil wizard Lord Voldemort, who tried to kill him when he was a baby.

This movie had the British elite as cast, with Alan Rickman brilliantly portraying the role of Professor Snape while Richard Harris, who happened to be Irish, portrayed Albus Dumbledore. The film made a reported 33.3 million dollars on its opening day and went on to make 66.1 million pounds in the UK alone. In total, it managed to rake in a total of 947.7 million dollars, making the eighth highest grossing movie of all time.

#2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002)
The second film of the series, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets saw the main cast return to the set. This movie was once again directed by Chris Columbus. In the beginning, strange things start happening in Harry's life. A small house elf called Dobby warns Harry to not go to Hogwarts. He fails to get onto the platform 9 ¾ and then flies his way to Hogwarts with his friend Ron in a car. Tragedies start happening at Hogwarts as people are petrified one by one, the last victim being Harry's friend, Hermione. Then, Harry, Ron and there cowardly Professor Lockhart go to the Chamber of Secrets, where Voldemort, in the avatar of his teenage self, Tom Riddle tries to kill Harry with a Basilisk. Harry manages to instead kill Tom by stabbing his diary, which is later revealed as being a horcrux.

The main case reprised their roles and there was the addition of Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart. This movie also opened to great reviews and it made a total of USD 879 million worldwide and was the second highest grossing film of 2002.

#3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
The movies begin to get darker and scarier with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Harry is told that it was their parents' friend, Sirius Black who betrayed them and led them to Voldemort and Sirius has now managed to escape from Azkaban and may be coming to look for Harry. He goes to Hogwarts and on more than one occasion, comes in contact with dementors. It is later revealed that Sirius was not the one who betrayed Harry's parents, but it was Peter Pettigrew, who is in fact, Ron's rat Scabbers.

This movie saw the brilliant Gary Oldman step in as Sirius Black, David Thewlis as Remus Lupin and Timothy Spall as Peter Pettigrew. This movie was directed by Alfonso Cuaron. There were many more special effects added in this movie. This movie however, managed to rake in USD 795.6 million and is in fact, the lowest grossing Harry Potter movie.

#4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005)
The next movie, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire saw the young students entering puberty. This movie, despite being dark and very adventurous was also quite lighthearted and showed the hormonal side of the characters. Harry is chosen against his will to take part in a series of dangerous tasks as part of the Triwizard Tournament. He faces dragons, mermaids and in the end, even a Sphinx. He comes to know in the end that it was all a ploy by the evil Barty Crouch junior, that is at Hogwarts in the guise of Mad Eye Moody. This movie for the first time, shows the rise of Lord Voldemort in human form.

This movie saw the inclusion of two main new cast members - Robert Pattinson as the handsome Cedric Diggory (although Pattinson went onto find more fame in the Twilight series) and Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort in flesh. This movie was directed by Mike Newell and managed to make USD 896 million worldwide and was very well received.

#5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
The next movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix saw Harry return to fight Voldemort as a part of a new order. Lord Voldemort is after a prophecy which says that only one can survive while the other lives. It is only in the end that the Wizarding World comes to terms with the fact that Lord Voldemort has returned. Sirius Black dies in the end of this movie.

This was once again a relatively lighthearted film and marked the entry of Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange and Imelda Staunton as Professor Umbridge. This movie managed to gross a total of 938.5 million dollars and is said to be the tenth highest grossing film of all time.

#6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)
The next part, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, is darker and introduces the concept of horcruxes, which are parts of Voldemort's soul. This movie also showed Harry's romantic inclination towards Ginny, Ron's sister and Hermione's feelings for Ron. Draco Malfoy, played by Tom Felton, tries to plot ways to kill Dumbledore but in the end, it is in fact Professor Snape who kills Dumbledore.

This move introduced Jim Broadbent as Professor Horace Slughorn. This part was directed by David Yates. This part too opened to great reviews and is the third highest grossing Potter film bringing in USD933,959,197.

#7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows I (2010)
The last Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has been split into two parts so as to make for more detailed viewing. After the death of Dumbledore, Harry is all set to go with Ron and Hermione to fetch the horcruxes. This move begins with the death of Mad Eye Moody and eventually, after an interruption at Bill and Fleur's wedding, Harry, Ron and Hermione set out to look and destroy horcruxes. They do manage to destroy the locket, after Ron comes back to find and save Harry being killed in a freezing pond. Dobby the house elf dies towards the end of the movie while trying to save Harry Potter. The movie ended tantalizingly at the point where Lord Voldemort has procured the most powerful wand in the world, the Elder wand.

This part was directed by David Yates. Still running in theaters, it cannot be said how much this movie has grossed but it is being said that it has already grossed USD864,267,000.

#8: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II (2011)
The last part of the Harry Potter movie is said to be releasing in 3D on 15th July in 2011. It will pick up from where it left, and in this part, Harry, Ron and Hermione will try and rob Gringotts bank and then there will be the final Hogwarts battle scene. Daniel Radcliffe said "(Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows I) is so sedate compared to what the next one is going to be like. The next film, because you've had all the plot set up already, you can just kind of enjoy the insanity of all the action."

It is little wonder then that the Harry Potter movies have become one of the highest grossing movies of all time. Currently the brand of Harry Potter is worth around twenty four billion dollars, where the movies alone have grossed over six billion dollars. Not just that but Rowling's Harry Potter is entertainer of the decade according to US magazine Entertainment Weekly. So, I hope you enjoyed reading this list of movies from first to last. The best one is yet to come!

*Image courtesy of Universal Orlando Resort