10 Movies Like Harry Potter (and Where to Watch Them)

The Secret of Moonacre is one of those wildly underrated movies that I feel should’ve been bigger than it was. The movie is basically a comfort fantasy, with a classic ‘orphaned child inherits something and uncovers secrets and conflicts within’ and ‘has to break a curse’ setup that never really gets old. If you’re expecting any Narnia-style momentum, then this film will feel smaller and intimate, but that’s its strength. 

The Secret of Moonacre might have some plot lines that aren’t tightly constructed, or the characters might not be fully developed, but if what you loved about Harry Potter were the visuals, you know, the changing sky in the Great Hall, students in boats heading towards Hogwarts while the castle looms over them, or the shifting staircases with walls filled with moving portraits, then The Secret of Moonacre also offers some storybook-like visuals worth checking out. It pairs nicely with something like The House with a Clock in Its Walls because of its cozy-but-slightly-eerie setting. Atmosphere and history play a huge role in this film, and viewers who like old-world mystery, curses and family feuds in their films will click with this movie. 

Danny DeVito has been in some gems (including ending up in a One Direction music video for some reason), but the one movie of his that I can endlessly rewatch anytime is Matilda. A brilliant child grows up in a home where she’s overlooked and underappreciated and eventually realizes she’s special. Sounds familiar? If you loved the innocence and the light-hearted nature of the early Harry Potter films, where anything felt possible, then you’ll enjoy Matilda.

Voldemort has nothing on Miss Trunchbull (or is it the opposite?), but if we’re being real, Umbridge probably out-villains them both. Matilda is fast-paced and doesn’t hide behind lore to tell a story. It’s simple, but in a good way, with a sort of whimsy that makes it an utterly comforting watch. And while there’s no larger world unfolding here other than her school and home and no epic stakes, unlike Harry Potter which moves beyond Hogwarts, it still shares that Harry Potter feeling of a young child who felt powerless but refuses to stay that way. For people who love watching warm films with ‘found family’ tropes, Matilda should be your go-to to capture that same energy.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe follows four siblings, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, who discover a wardrobe that leads them into Narnia and into the sights of a tyrannical queen, with a rebellion rising under the surface (basically things that are much bigger than them). What this movie does so well is the contrast—we begin in wartime England and then shift to Narnia where everything seems like a storybook has come alive (I mean, talking animals and a never-ending winter? Sounds pretty fantastical to me!) 

The Chronicles of Narnia feels similar to Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in spirit; this is where magic starts to feel like a real responsibility, rather than just fun. If you enjoy chosen-hero (or in this case, heroes) narratives or immersive fantasy worlds that drop you right into the middle of the action, then The Chronicles of Narnia brings its A-game. My personal favorite out of the three Narnia films is Voyage of the Dawn Treader; though I felt the absence of Peter and Susan, I loved Eustace’s addition, he gave the movie an extra comical edge (and also, Ben Barnes as Caspian—enough said!)

The Spiderwick Chronicles brings the idea that something magical can exist right next to normalcy, which is very Harry Potter-coded, according to me (who knew an entire world existed beyond a train station wall?) After moving into an old family estate, three siblings find a field guide to magical creatures, thus introduced to a secret world of goblins, fairies, and ogres, and realize they aren’t just myths confined to the guide. The Spiderwick Chronicles thrives in escalation, and there’s always another creature or another hidden layer being uncovered. 

If Hagrid’s lessons from the Care of Magical Creatures class were transformed into a 96 minute movie, then we’d probably get The Spiderwick Chronicles, which I kind of love. If you like sibling dynamics in a fantasy world, like in The Chronicles of Narnia, then you’ll most likely enjoy this creature-laden adventure as well. At times the movie does come off like it’s juggling one too many ideas, which could be fun, but for someone who prefers more laidback films, this might be a bit exhausting. If you’re looking for films that spotlight a normal world that isn’t actually normal at all, then The Spiderwick Chronicles is worth giving a try. 

Like the upcoming Harry Potter series, the Percy Jackson series also aims at a new generation, but I’ll always have a soft corner for the 2010 movie, Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. Our titular hero finds out that he’s actually the son of Poseidon, making him a demigod who’s accused of stealing his uncle Zeus’ lightning bolt, so he now has to clear his name and stop a larger war (basically just an average Tuesday, huh?) 

This movie is most similar to Harry Potter, so if you’re searching for something that has the same undertones, you’ll find it in Percy Jackson, especially when it comes to the ‘kid finds out about a world that seems unfathomable’ and ‘joins a trio who becomes his found family’ concepts. Sure, it doesn’t have the same world-building as Harry Potter, as the latter got 8 movies, so it does seem as though Percy Jackson tries to squeeze a full arc into 119 minutes. Nevertheless, it’s a fun trip (literally) that sends Percy and his friends from one encounter with a monster to another which keeps the pacing energetic. If you gravitate towards Greek mythology and quest-based adventure movies, then you should absolutely look into Percy Jackson if you haven’t had the chance to before.

A hidden home for children with unusual abilities is protected by a guardian who controls a time loop. When danger reaches their doorstep, they’re forced out of their protected world into a larger conflict in Tim Burton’s film, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. The film sits close to the tone Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince brings forth, where Hogwarts is still a refuge, but the threats from outside are impossible to ignore. 

The atmosphere of the movie is what draws you in, helmed by a protective, wise, and might I say, cool mentor figure (which I feel is very Dumbledore-adjacent.) Fans of Tim Burton’s style of filmmaking seen in his movies like Sleepy Hollow will love the vibe of Miss Peregrine. Not all the characters get enough depth and the emotional stakes didn’t always land for me; however, the idea of the film is genuinely elite, and it distinguishes itself visually with its melancholic feel. I personally felt there’s a concept here that could have supported an entire series, and I kind of wish they dug deeper. Regardless, if dark, more gothic edged style movies are your cup of tea, then Miss Peregrine is the perfect watch for you.

Jack Black in a fantasy-comedy movie before A Minecraft Movie? And when the movie is directed by Eli Roth, you best believe we’re seated for this one. The House with a Clock in Its Walls follows a 10-year-old orphan who moves into his uncle’s strange house filled with hidden magic, leading to a large supernatural threat inside the home. If you like watching eccentric adults mentor kids in their care, then you’ll enjoy The House with a Clock in Its Walls (ah, I must say I love a film that blatantly explains its premise in the title itself.)

The interesting thing about this movie is that the plot is mostly contained to one creaky house, where magic is an everyday occurrence rather than just in a big adventure. If you grew up with classic spooky films like Coraline, then you’ll find this film also shares the same gothic fantasy that older kids would like, though some of the scenes might be a bit too scary for really young children. Honestly, I think The House with a Clock in Its Walls is one of the most underrated modern Harry Potter-esque films, where it commits to being weird and magical, which are the right ingredients for a cozy, yet kind of creepy film.

For a movie that is named A Series of Unfortunate Events, it sure is an addictive watch. Maybe there’s something about rooting for the three children who have no one else other than each other, while a strange man is hellbent on collecting their fortune that appeals to us. The movie presents tragedy in a theatrical and almost mischievous and ironic way, which keeps the entire thing from feeling too heavy, despite the bleakness of the premise and the plot.

Similar to The Chronicles of Narnia and The Spiderwick Chronicles, sibling dynamics form the core here, so if you’re someone who prefers watching resourceful and intelligent children fending for themselves, A Series of Unfortunate Events caters to that. Once again, since it’s a film, the pacing feels a bit rushed (which is a given), so if you want to really dive deep into the Baudelaire children’s misfortune with Count Olaf, the Netflix series of the same name will scratch that itch. All in all, if there’s a film on this list that mirrors Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’s energy, where the adults are unreliable, institutions are untrustworthy, and kids are left to figure things out on their own, then you needn’t look further than A Series of Unfortunate Events. 

In The NeverEnding Story, when a mysterious book pulls a boy into a fantasy world that is in danger of disappearing, he learns that the fate of the world is tied to imagination and belief. What this movie does so well is its sincerity. It truly commits to the idea that unlike what most kids are told growing up, imagination isn’t escapism, but something powerful enough to reshape reality. If Harry’s isolation and overall emotional vulnerability in the later Harry Potter movies is what resonated with you, then The NeverEnding Story will hit. 

As the movie was released in 1984, you might feel the pacing is a bit slow, especially when compared to more modern movies; even then, The NeverEnding Story is worth the watch for its introspective and emotional story (Artax sinking into the swamp still makes me sob). While both A Series of Unfortunate Events and The NeverEnding Story deal with hardship, the latter offers glimpses of hope without trying to over-explain its world, it just highlights the idea that stories can heal you, all wrapped in the guise of a fantasy film. Add the sequels, The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter and The NeverEnding Story III for a triple feature fantasy movie marathon. 

Ending this list with The Golden Compass makes sense, as it comes closest to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows energy, where the world becomes colder, less about wonder and more about how much darker it is than it first looked, with morally-grey adults, wars brewing, and artefacts that are part of a bigger picture. It’s also fitting because we started this list with The Secret of Moonacre, and we’re ending it with The Golden Compass, where the protagonist of both the movies is played by Dakota Blue Richards. 

The premise itself is rich: in a world where human souls exist outside of the body as animal companions called daemons, a young girl uncovers a secret about a powerful institution. The idea of daemons gives this movie a standout hook, which was super intriguing to watch. The world felt big and loaded, with a constant awareness of how there’s much more happening than what the characters can immediately see. Fans of The Hunger Games will notice similar themes of control and resistance, and will feel right at home with The Golden Compass. Frankly, I felt The Golden Compass should’ve had more films because of its immaculate world-building, so imagine my surprise when I found out there’s an entire series that fully adapted the story in His Dark Materials ready to binge next! That’s going on my list for sure.