The legacy of the Harry Potter movies has changed a lot in recent years, but luckily, there are many other magical replacements for them. In 1997, readers all over the world were introduced to Harry Potter and the wizarding world in the children’s novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

The Harry Potter books became a pop culture phenomenon, and they made the jump to the big screen between 2001 and 2011. The Harry Potter movies were a huge hit, expanding the books’ fanbase and boosting the careers of their young cast. Unfortunately, the entire Harry Potter franchise has been shadowed by controversy for years now.

Between comments by creator J. K. Rowling, behind-the-scenes problems with the cast of the Fantastic Beasts trilogy, and more, the Harry Potter franchise isn’t what it used to be. However, for those looking for something magical to watch, there are many movies and TV shows that can replace the world of Harry Potter.

Stardust

One Movie

Stardust is a fantasy adventure movie directed by Matthew Vaughn and based on Neil Gaiman’s 1999 novel of the same name. Stardust takes the audience to the fictional town of Wall, England, to meet Tristan (Charlie Cox). As Wall is on the border of the fantasy kingdom of Stormhold, Tristan enters it to collect a fallen star for Victoria (Sienna Miller), so he can marry her.

However, the star is Yvaine (Claire Danes), and Tristan isn’t the only one wanting to capture her. Stardust has magic, witches, kingdoms, and a protagonist going on an adventure for love. Although the performances are inconsistent, Stardust is an option for those looking for a short story about love and magic.

The Spiderwick Chronicles

One Movie, One TV Show

The Spiderwick Chronicles is a series of children’s fantasy books that have been adapted into a movie and a TV show. The movie takes viewers to the Spiderwick Estate in New England, to follow three children who discover a field guide to fairies. This leads them to meet other magical creatures, such as ogres, trolls, and goblins.

The TV show, which premiered in 2024, follows fraternal twins Jared (Lyon Daniels) and Simon (Noah Cottrell) and their sister Mallory (Mychala Lee), who moved with their mother to their ancestral home of Spiderwick. There, Jared discovers that magical creatures are real, and is asked to find the pages of his ancestor’s guide to protect their family.

Willow

One Movie, One TV Show

Willow is a fantasy adventure movie directed by Ron Howard. It’s the story of the тιтle character (Warwick Davis), a farmer who is chosen to take on an important mission: protect Elora, a princess destined to defeat the evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh). On his way to deliver the baby to the humans, Willow teams up with disgraced swordsman Madmartigan (Val Kilmer).

Willow got a sequel TV series in 2022, set more than 20 years after the events of the movie. The series followed the тιтle character and new allies as they went on a quest to save their world from a new threat. Unfortunately, the show was removed from Disney+ in 2023, but the movie is still available to stream.

A Series Of Unfortunate Events

One Movie, One TV Show

A Series of Unfortunate Events is a series of children’s novels by Lemony Snicket that tells the tragic and at times absurd lives of orphaned siblings Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire. The movie followed the children as they were placed into the custody of Count Olaf (Jim Carrey), a failed actor and greedy villain.

Count Olaf only wanted the children’s money, and so caused various disasters in an attempt to get rid of them, even when the kids’ custody was given to other people. The TV series followed the same premise, with the kids also piecing together what truly happened to their parents. Although there isn’t magic in this story, it has similar vibes to the story of Harry Potter.

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children

One Movie

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children is a dark fantasy movie directed by Tim Burton and based on the 2011 novel by Ransom Riggs. It follows Jake (Asa ʙuттerfield), who, while investigating a family mystery, ends up at the тιтle home, where he meets children with extraordinary abilities.

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children has magic, action, and family drama, all of them elements found in the Harry Potter movies. Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children only got one movie, but those wanting to learn more about it can read the book.

Wednesday

Two Seasons So Far

One of Netflix’s biggest hits is a great Harry Potter replacement. Created by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar and based on Charles Addams’ beloved characters, Wednesday follows the тιтle character (Jenna Ortega) as she’s sent to Nevermore Academy, a school for outcasts and monsters. There, Wednesday discovers she inherited her mother’s psychic abilities.

Wednesday uses these abilities to solve mysteries, while also learning how to use them. Wednesday has magic, a spooky vibe, and unique characters (both old and new), and it’s pretty much as if Tim Burton made a Harry Potter-like story in his style.

Percy Jackson

Two Movies, One TV Show

Percy Jackson & the Olympians is a fantasy novel series by Rick Riordan. The adventures of Percy Jackson have been adapted into two movies and one TV show, so those interested in it can choose the format they like best. The first movie introduces the audience to Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman), a sixteen-year-old boy who learns he’s the son of Poseidon.

Percy begins to attend a training camp for demigods, but when his mother is kidnapped by Hades and he’s accused of stealing Zeus’ lightning bolt, Percy and his friends set out to rescue his mother. In the sequel, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, Percy learns that he has a half-brother.

Percy Jackson made the jump to TV in 2023, and it follows the same premise as the first movie. Percy Jackson has mythology, magic, and its own world of fantasy that make it a strong Harry Potter replacement without copying the wizarding world.

The Worst Witch

One TV Movie, Two TV Shows

The Worst Witch is a series of children’s books written by Jill Murphy, and which has been adapted into a TV movie and two TV shows. The Worst Witch follows Mildred Hubble, a young girl who attends a witch school. However, Mildred is disaster-prone, and gets into all types of trouble all the time.

The Worst Witch is an obvious but amazing Harry Potter replacement. It’s a fitting one thanks to it also being about a young person with magical abilities attending a magic school, but The Worst Witch is a lot more lighthearted than Harry Potter, though it also covers relatable themes and has strong, complex characters.

The Chronicles of Narnia

Three Movies (& One Upcoming), Three TV Shows

One of the most popular fantasy novel series is C. S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia. The books have been adapted into three TV shows and a movie trilogy, with a Netflix film currently in development. At the core of The Chronicles of Narnia are a group of children who travel into the fantasy world of Narnia.

There, they meet a variety of human and fantasy characters, both allies and villains. The Harry Potter franchise has a similar essence to The Chronicles of Narnia, both being led by young characters who find themselves in worlds where magic and various magical creatures are real, though their individual stories are very different.

The Lord of the Rings

Various Adaptations

Of course, the best Harry Potter replacement out there is The Lord of the Rings, with Peter Jackson’s trilogy beginning at the same time as the Harry Potter film series. Created by J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings takes the audience to Middle-earth to meet Bilbo Baggins, who leaves the Ring to his heir, Frodo.

After the wizard Gandalf realizes the Ring is the One Ring, he counsels Frodo to take it away from the Shire and get rid of it in a specific way. The Lord of the Rings is an epic story that takes the audience into a complex and unique fantasy world with magic, elves, dragons, and more, expanding to various novels, movies, and TV shows.