The Harry Potter movies are overall faithful to the books, but what do people think and which ones they prefer?


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Poster of the 2011 movie and cover of the 2007 book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
VS3
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
J.K. Rowling, 2007
movie vs book
David Yates, 2011

Following Dumbledore’s death, Voldemort is attempting to take control of the Ministry of Magic. During Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour’s wedding, the Ministry falls to Voldemort, and the wedding is attacked by Death Eaters.


Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Poster of the 2001 movie and cover of the 1997 book
VS3
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
J.K. Rowling, 1997
movie vs book
Chris Columbus, 2001

Late one night, Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall, professors at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, along with the school’s groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid, deliver a recently orphaned infant named Harry Potter to his only remaining relatives, the Dursleys. After he and the Dursleys escape to an island to avoid more letters, Hagrid re-appears and informs Harry that he is a wizard and has been accepted into Hogwarts against the Dursleys’ wishes.


Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Poster of the 2002 movie and cover of the 1998 book
VS3
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
J.K. Rowling, 1998
movie vs book
Chris Columbus, 2002

Spending the summer with the Dursleys, Harry Potter meets Dobby, a house-elf who warns him it’s too dangerous to return to Hogwarts. Harry and the Weasley family are joined by Rubeus Hagrid and Hermione Granger at a book-signing by Gilderoy Lockhart, who announces he is Hogwarts’ new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher.


Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Poster of the 2004 movie and cover of the 1999 book
VS3
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
J.K. Rowling, 1999
movie vs book
Alfonso Cuarón, 2004

Harry is back at the Dursleys’ for the summer holidays, where he sees on Muggle television that a convict named Sirius Black has escaped from prison. After being picked up by the Knight Bus, meeting Stan Shunpike, and encountering a large black dog that seems to be watching him, he travels to the Leaky Cauldron, where Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic, asks Harry to stay in Diagon Alley for his own protection.


Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Poster of the 2005 movie and cover of the 2000 book
VS3
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
J.K. Rowling, 2000
movie vs book
Mike Newell, 2005

Harry Potter awakens from a nightmare wherein a man named Frank Bryce is killed after overhearing Lord Voldemort conspiring with Peter Pettigrew and another man. While Harry attends the Quidditch World Cup match between Ireland and Bulgaria with the Weasleys and Hermione, Death Eaters terrorise the camp, and the man who appeared in Harry’s dream summons the Dark Mark.


Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Poster of the 2007 movie and cover of the 2003 book
VS3
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
J.K. Rowling, 2003
movie vs book
David Yates, 2007

The Order of the Phoenix, a secret organization founded by Albus Dumbledore, informs Harry Potter that the Ministry of Magic is oblivious to Lord Voldemort’s return. As Umbridge’s control over the school increases, Ron and Hermione aid Harry in forming a secret group to train students in defensive spells, calling themselves Dumbledore’s Army.


Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. Poster of the 2010 movie and cover of the 2007 book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
VS3
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
J.K. Rowling, 2007
movie vs book
David Yates, 2010

The Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour addresses the wizarding media, stating that the Ministry remains strong despite Lord Voldemort gaining power and the Death Eaters committing mass killings of Muggles and infiltrating the Ministry. Meanwhile, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger resolve to complete the mission Albus Dumbledore gave Harry by hunting down and destroying Voldemort’s Horcruxes.


Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Poster of the 2009 movie and cover of the 2005 book
VS3
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
J.K. Rowling, 2005
movie vs book
David Yates, 2009

Severus Snape, a member of the Order of the Phoenix, meets with Narcissa Malfoy, Draco’s mother, and her sister Bellatrix Lestrange, Lord Voldemort’s supporter. They detour to the home of Horace Slughorn, former Potions teacher at Hogwarts, and Harry unwittingly helps persuade Slughorn to teach.


Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Poster of the 2016 movie and cover of the 2001 book
VS3
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Newt Scamander (J.K. Rowling), 2001
movie vs book
David Yates, 2016

In 1926, British wizard and magizoologist Newton Newt Scamander arrives in New York City. Attempting to recapture a Niffler that escaped from his suitcase of magical creatures, Newt meets No-Maj Jacob Kowalski, an aspiring baker, and they unwittingly swap suitcases.


Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Poster of the 2018 movie and cover of the 2018 book, Fantastic Beasts - The Crimes of Grindelwald
VS3
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
J.K. Rowling, 2018
movie vs book
David Yates, 2018

In 1927, the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) transfers the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald to Europe to stand trial, but Grindelwald escapes. Three months later in London, Newt Scamander visits the Ministry of Magic to appeal his international travel ban, and runs into Leta Lestrange, his Hogwarts classmate and the fiancée of his Auror brother Theseus.

“The movie is the movie, and the book is the book. They're different critters, and each must stand on their own merits.”

FRANK PERETTI (Writer)