The Harry Potter movies dominated the box office during their runtime. And when Daniel Radcliffe was announced as the Boy Who Lived, it instantly propelled the British actor to superstardom. He was relatively unknown at the time but soon became a household name, with his face plastered on everything related to the movie, from posters to merchandise. For many adults today, he was their childhood hero.
Harry, obviously, got plenty of screentime during the eight films that released between 2001 and 2011. But which film did he get the most action in? We'll now use our time-turner to take a look at the franchise and give fans the ultimate statistical breakdown.
The Deathly Hallows Part 2: 48 Minutes
The Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is actually the shortest movie in the series. So that may explain why Radcliffe got just 48 minutes of screentime, considerably less than any other blockbuster. It's a somewhat surprising tidbit given Harry is central to things, being more prominent than any other character and finally defeating Lord Voldemort once and for all after years of suffering and torment.
One of the reasons his screentime may be down is because of Severus Snape's flashback, where the Potions Master shows Harry the love he had for his mother, Lily Potter. That lasts a little while and there are also scenes of Voldemort by himself which eat into the runtime. The movie is non-stop action from start to finish and gives the franchise the successful ending it deserves.
The Order Of The Phoenix: 61:45
The Order of the Phoenix sees Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts get off to the worst possible start. The Boy Who Lived is attacked by Dementors at Little Whinging and, in the aftermath, is fortunate to avoid being expelled. Things don't get much better for the Gryffindor student once he actually returns to the castle. Dolores Umbridge makes his life a misery, many of his friends refuse to believe him about Lord Voldemort's return, and the threat of impending danger and doom hanging over his head.
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Harry is in the movie for over an hour, only really being out of the spotlight on rare occasions. The blockbuster ends in tragedy with the character's godfather, Sirius Black, heartbreakingly murdered by Bellatrix Lestrange. It's also a pivotal entry in the overall series because Harry learns he's the Chosen One, and therefore, his fate is entwined with Voldemort's own.
The Goblet Of Fire: 63:15
Just about trumping the Order of the Phoenix by less than two minutes is The Goblet of Fire. The movie starts away from Harry with Voldemort, Peter Pettigrew, and Barty Crouch Jr plotting away at the old Riddle house when Frank Bryce then gatecrashes and is consequently killed.
Again, things end on a sad note for the Chosen One. He tragically loses Cedric Diggory, who Voldemort ruthlessly murders in the Little Hangleton graveyard. It's a turning point for the series because it's the one where the Dark Lord, after so many years of lying low, makes his grand return.
The Half-Blood Prince: 67
Edging out the Goblet of Fire is the Half-Blood Prince, which released in the summer of 2009. Again, flashbacks may explain why it doesn't rank higher. Harry and Albus Dumbledore take multiple trips down Voldemort's memory lane, allowing audiences to see how Tom Riddle eventually became the manipulative and fearsome wizard everyone had come to hate. Several were, unfortunately, omitted, but it's definitely fascinating seeing Voldemort shaped into the abhorrent character he becomes.
Harry is central to things and this is the movie where he couples up with Ginny Weasley. He also spends plenty of the year trying to get Horace Slughorn to give up his prized memory on Horcruxes and having to put up with Ron Weasley and Lavender Brown's nauseating relationship. Dumbledore dies at the end of the film, dealing Harry a major blow in his battle to defeat Voldemort in the process.
The Deathly Hallows Part 1: 68:15
Narrowly missing out on a place in the podium positions is The Deathly Hallows: Part 1. Warner Bros. decided to split the final Potter book into two different movies and the first is definitely different from anything that had gone before it. The movie is slower but it has an ominous air about it and the pacing helps build the tension, with Voldemort and his loathsome Death Eaters hunting the good guys down.
Harry sticks close to Hermione during this film, with Ron leaving his friends to return home after growing jealous of their close relationship. Fortunately, he comes back and the gang is able to escape Malfoy's Manor in the end. However, Dobby the House Elf isn't so lucky, tragically killed by Bellatrix Lestrange - whose knife sinks deep into his tiny chest.
The Sorcerer's Stone: 72:45
The year 2001 was great for movies. There was the release of The Sorcerer's Stone, sure, but Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Shrek, and Monsters. Inc also hit the big screen. Potter ended up reigning supreme at the box office, however, with many fans across the globe flocking to see Radcliffe's first portrayal of the young wizard.
The movie is extremely faithful to the source material, with just several moments from the books missing out on being brought to the movie version of the story. Harry meets Ron and Hermione for the first time and, at the end of the year, they are able to prevent Professor Quirrell from restoring Lord Voldemort to full power. At least, for the time being.
The Prisoner Of Azkaban: 74:30
Just missing out on the gold medal is The Prisoner of Azkaban. While The Sorcerer's Stone and The Chamber of Secrets were both bright and positive affairs, this movie represents a drastic change in tone. Suddenly, Hogwarts isn't all sunny and blue skies. Things are drastically darker and, with a mass murderer in the form of Sirius Black on the loose, it's reflective of how the wizarding world feel at the time.
In the end, Harry discovers Sirius is innocent and his father's old friend, Peter Pettigrew, is instead the person responsible for the betrayal of his parents. He's unfortunately deprived of the chance to live with Sirius, however, due to Remus Lupin's sudden and unwelcome transformation into a werewolf. That's the only blotch on the ending that otherwise is positive.
The Chamber Of Secrets: 83:45
It shouldn't really be a surprise that Harry gets the most screentime in the Chamber of Secrets movie. And that's because it's the longest out of all the Potter blockbusters, having a huge runtime of two hours and 54 minutes. To put that into perspective, Avengers: Endgame is just seven minutes longer.
Harry is warned not to return to Hogwarts by Dobby and it later becomes clear why. The students at the school are all attacked by a mysterious entity that's later revealed to be a Basilisk, working on the orders of Lord Voldemort. Fortunately, none of the main characters are not badly injured and return to full health by the end of the movie. Harry is also able to prevent Ginny from dying, with Tom Riddle attempting to drain her in order to return to power.