The Harry Potter universe keeps expanding with the spin-off prequel series Fantastic Beasts, theme parks, video games and more, and the first film series will always have a place of honor in the hearts of fans - but does it have a place on Netflix as well? Back in 2001, Chris Columbus was the director in charge of bringing J.K Rowling’s novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to the big screen, marking the beginning of a saga that would continue for ten more years.
Harry Potter’s film run came to an end in 2011 with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2, but its popularity hasn’t decreased – the franchise is still active, and fans constantly revisit Harry’s story either through the books or the films. The saga has been cited as helping redefine the Hollywood blockbuster, initiating the practice of splitting the final chapter of a film series in two films, and is one of the most successful franchises in cinema history. As such, it should be part of Netflix’s catalogue, right?
To the surprise and disappointment of many, none of the Harry Potter films are available on Netflix US or Netflix UK. The reason for the absence of the saga from these two regions is licensing fees, and with WarnerMedia’s HBO Max streaming service launching in spring 2020, it’s highly unlikely that the films will join Netflix. Like many other popular titles, not being on Netflix US and UK doesn’t mean the films can’t be found in other regions, and some are lucky enough to have the whole saga on streaming. Netflix users in Spain, Australia, New Zealand, France, Switzerland, and Belgium can have a full Harry Potter marathon, as all eight films are available there.
Netflix Latin America is slightly lucky – 1/8 lucky, to be precise. When Netflix Spain announced the arrival of all Harry Potter films, users in Latin America expected the same announcement for their region. Sadly that wasn’t the case, but Netflix Latin America added Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1 a couple of days later, so not all hope is lost, at least not yet. It’s a bit odd that, out of all the films, that’s the one they got, but it’s better than nothing.
Harry Potter might not visit Netflix US before HBO Max arrives, and Warner Bros usually hands the streaming rights to other platforms in the UK, but if you are lucky enough to be in Spain, Australia, New Zealand, France, Switzerland, and Belgium, you can binge watch the saga about the boy who lived.
Next: Harry Potter Theory: Hagrid Was Voldemort’s Secret Death Eater
