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Fantastic Beasts Movie Watch Order in the correct order

How to watch the Fantastic Beasts movies in order

Last updated: April 20 2026

Written by: ChronoChris

Fantastic Beasts expands the Wizarding World decades before Harry Potter, focusing on Newt Scamander and the rise of dark forces in the magical community. Watch order matters because each movie develops one ongoing conflict. It is a practical way to follow the pre-Harry Potter timeline without getting lost in lore. First-time viewers can use this Fantastic Beasts watch order to avoid timeline confusion, preserve major reveals, and keep character arcs easy to follow during a full marathon.

Set in the early 20th century, Fantastic Beasts explores global wizard politics, magical creatures, and major events that shape later Wizarding World history. The trilogy begins as an adventure story and grows into a larger conflict involving Grindelwald and Dumbledore. Since the plot threads are serialized, these films work best when watched in sequence. This sequence also helps the Dumbledore–Grindelwald conflict unfold with proper context.

🕐 Release Order

Release order is the easiest route and follows the intended reveal structure for characters, alliances, and franchise-wide lore.

  1. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
  2. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
  3. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)

The second and third entries rely heavily on setups from earlier films, so skipping ahead can make major reveals and political shifts feel confusing.

📖 Story Chronology

Chronological order is the same as release order, with each film moving the timeline forward toward events that predate the Harry Potter era.

  1. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
  2. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
  3. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)

Which Order Should You Choose?

Choose release order for your first watch and most rewatches. Start with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, then continue directly through The Crimes of Grindelwald and The Secrets of Dumbledore. If you plan a full Wizarding World marathon, many fans watch Fantastic Beasts first and then continue into the Harry Potter films afterward. Following the films in order keeps the political plot and character reveals much easier to track.

🔗 Related Guides

  • Harry Potter Watch OrderGuide
  • Chronicles of Narnia Watch OrderGuide
  • Lord of the Rings Watch OrderGuide

Did we miss anything? Let us know and we'll keep this guide up to date!