The Harry Potter franchise is renowned for its immense success across various forms of media, including books, movies, and games. While the series concluded with Harry Potter's triumph over the dark lord Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, the franchise has continued to enrich the Harry Potter universe by exploring events that occurred before the main narrative. Given the franchise's unparalleled success, any content set in its fictional world is sure to captivate a wide audience.
Five years following the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, fans were treated to a prequel movie titled Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. This film marked the beginning of a new spin-off series consisting of five movies, demonstrating the enduring interest of fans in the franchise. The most recent addition to the Harry Potter universe arrived in the form of the highly acclaimed and immensely popular video game, Hogwarts Legacy, which was released in 2023. Taking place even before the events of the Fantastic Beasts franchise, Hogwarts Legacy further expands the already vast lore and timeline of the Harry Potter franchise.
The Complete Timeline of The Harry Potter Universe
Hogwarts Legacy, developed by Avalanche Software, is widely considered the first Harry Potter game to truly honor the beloved franchise. However, fans should not expect to see familiar characters in the game, as it is set 100 years before the events of the first Harry Potter book in 1890. The game follows a young student's journey at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as they embark on a quest to uncover ancient secrets of the Wizarding World. While the story of Hogwarts Legacy is not essential to understanding the main events of the Harry Potter series, it adds depth and context to the fantasy world.
Moving on to the Fantastic Beasts franchise, this spin-off prequel series takes place between 1926 and 1945. Consisting of five films, it follows Newt Scamander, a peculiar wizard, and his group of amateur friends as they confront the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. Albus Dumbledore, a crucial ally to Newt, plays a prominent role in these films as they work together to prevent the growing rift between the Wizarding and the Muggle worlds. The first Fantastic Beasts film is set nearly 65 years before the events of the first Harry Potter book.
The main Harry Potter books and films span from 1991 to 1998, following Harry Potter as he embarks on a monumental journey to save the magical realm. On his eleventh birthday, Harry receives an invitation to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, setting off a series of extraordinary events. Throughout his education, Harry confronts numerous threats and battles against formidable enemies, all orchestrated by the villainous Lord Voldemort. After years of conflict and sacrifices, Harry, alongside his loyal friends and mentors, ultimately defeats Voldemort and brings an end to his sinister plans.
The tremendous success of the Harry Potter franchise indicates its continued growth. The series timeline encompasses 1890 to 1998. Hogwarts Legacy is set in 1890, Fantastic Beasts takes place from 1926 to 1945, and the Harry Potter storyline occurs between 1991 and 1998.
Hogwarts Legacy is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. A Switch version will release on November 14.