Credit: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
For ten years, author J.K. Rowling kept the world on the edge of its seats. She released the first book of the seven-book Harry Potter series in 1997. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone hit hard and became a sudden phenomenon. The book that kids were reading became the book that teens were reading. Before long, there was enough buzz about the book that even our parents were picking it up to read along with us.
When Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets was released in 1998, we were beside ourselves. By the time 1999 rolled around, we were salivating to read Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Before much longer, we were all begging our parents to take us to Walmart before midnight on the release date so we could stand in long lines to be sure we secured our own copies of the next installment of the Harry Potter series.
No one understands the pain of waiting, wishing, and hoping quite like the generation of kids and teens who didn’t have seven Harry Potter series books on hand to download (what was that, even, back then?), purchase as a set or read all at once. We read a book and waited a least a year to find out what Harry, Ron, and Hermione would do next. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire came out in 2000. It was the best yet, with so many things happening and Lord Voldemort returning. The most painful moment in time for all of us, however, was realizing that waiting a year for a new Harry Potter Series book to come out was actually a gift in disguise. Why? Because suddenly, it was three years before the next book was released.
Credit: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
The Harry Potter Series Timeline
As we mentioned above, the first book was released in 1997, followed by the second in 1998. The third was released in 1999, and the fourth was released in the year 2000. It was a gift to wait only a year, and 2000 was such a pivotal moment. Why? Because 2000 was the year that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire was released. It was the year that Harry saw Voldemort come back to life. We all knew it was the year that would change everything, and we could not wait for book five.
But, the wait is exactly what we did. We waited until 2003. We all lined up hours before midnight in 2003 to be sure we got a copy – and we all stayed up all night afterward reading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. The world wouldn’t get to read Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince until 2005. It was 2007 before we finally learned what happened to Harry in the final book of the Harry Potter series.
The Harry Potter Series Turned into Movies
The only thing that helped Harry Potter series fans between 2000 and 2003 while we waited for The Order of the Phoenix book to be released was the fact that the movies were already filming. The first movie hit theaters in 2001. Book two hit theaters in 2002, both in November of their respective years. Harry Potter’s third movie would make us wait 18 months, however, and it was not released until June 2004. The fourth movie was released in November 2005. July 2007 brought us book five. November 2009 was book six. The seventh book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was broken down into two movies. The seventh movie was released in November 2010, and the eighth and final movie was released in July 2011.
Ranking the Harry Potter Series Movies from Worst to Best
At the end of the day, we all have our favorite books and movie. Mostly, if you have a favorite book, you also have a favorite movie (mine has been and always will be Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban). Which is yours? However, critics also have an opinion about the Harry Potter series movies. Some of them were better than others. As it happens, not all of the movies were directed by the same person. This means each one has its own lifeline and its own cinematic theme. How do critics rank the movies in order of the worst one to the best? As follows:
Credit: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
8. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The second movie was also the worst, according to an article by Collider. Why? Because it was too long, they tried to fit every last detail into the movie, and it missed its mark as a result.
7. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
No one is surprised to see this one here – though it really should be the worst. It was, to be blunt, boring. And it was difficult to watch. It is too slow and for nothing. That is all.
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Book four is one of the better books, but the movie didn’t make the cut as one of the better movies. It seems that critics mainly focused on the fact that Voldemort’s return to his actual body was not terrifying enough. It was a bit lackluster on the screen.
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
The first book and movie land here simply because it isn’t as big or exciting. It’s cute, but it’s definitely a movie about a bunch of kids.
4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Book five was written into a movie by someone other than Steve Kloves, and it shows. The movie was good, but the book was better. The new writer wasn’t bad, but let’s be honest. He wasn’t the man who wrote the other seven movies. He missed a bit.
3. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
This was a good movie from start to finish. The movie in which we lose Dumbledore. It was emotionally charged from start to finish, though it was exceedingly difficult to watch knowing what happens at the end.
2. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
No one is surprised the end is one of the best movies. This is the moment we learn the truth. The moment the wizarding world is changed forever. This is the movie in which we see everything come to a head, and it is exciting from start to finish.
1. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Just like the book, this is the best movie. It is the first time the kids are growing up. It is also the moment that Harry learns such a significant amount about his own childhood and his own family, and it is touching and lovely as far as a sweet story goes. It’s dramatic, and it probably has the most shocking end of all. We loved it, and so did critics.
Follow Us
