When we think about the Harry Potter movies, the first thing that comes to our mind isn’t just the spells, the characters, or even the story; it’s the way the Wizarding World looked and felt. The production design truly made Hogwarts come alive, turning J.K. Rowling’s words into a magical reality we could all see and believe in.
From the first look at Diagon Alley to Hogwarts, and even the floating candles in the Great Hall to the dark, eerie halls of the Ministry of Magic, every set was like stepping into another world. And behind all of that magic was the Oscar-winning legend, Stuart Craig, the genius who shaped the look of the Wizarding World.
Sadly, he passed away at the age of 83 on September 7, after battling Parkinson’s. But his legacy will never fade. So today, let’s celebrate Stuart Craig and recall his influence on pop culture by ranking every Harry Potter movie based on its stunning production design, from the weakest to the very best.
8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is a very different kind of Harry Potter film. For the first time, most of the story takes place outside of Hogwarts, with the Golden Trio hunting down Horcruxes. This led Stuart Craig to design the temporary outdoor sets, which gave the movie a unique but less magical feeling.
The sets of the Ministry of Magic, especially the infiltration scene, stood out as some of the film’s strongest moments. The high ceilings, polished floors, and eerie statues created a scary and powerful setting. Stuart Craig made the Ministry feel even more oppressive under Voldemort’s control.
Another highlight of the film comes at Malfoy Manor. The dining table scene with Voldemort and his Death Eaters is chilling. The grand but cold look of the manor perfectly matches the danger of the moment. Still, because much of the film happens in forests and tents, the design doesn’t shine as much as in other movies.
The table contains basic details on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1:
| Movie Name | Director | Box Office | IMDb Rating | RT Score |
| Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) | David Yates | $943 million | 7.7/10 | 76% |
The movie received praise for its darker tone and also received an Oscar nod for production design. However, Craig’s work got majorly overlooked by the award committee, despite his clever depiction of the world under Voldemort’s rule. As for us, the lack of Hogwarts’ magical beauty made this film rank low.
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7. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Despite being one of the best and most intense stories in the franchise, the Half-Blood Prince film doesn’t live up to the mark when it comes to production design. While the story twists with Snape and Dumbledore, the design structure of this film feels a little weaker compared to the others.
Stuart Craig still created beautiful sets, but the film had such a darker tone that it sometimes made the magic look a little faded. The cave where Dumbledore and Harry look for the Horcrux is one of the most memorable sets. It was built with dark waters, eerie stone walls, and those terrifying Inferi.
Still, apart from this, the film didn’t give us as many new magical places to explore. Even the Hogwarts sets, which were always a highlight, felt a bit too shadowy and less colorful in this movie. Craig aimed to match the darker story, but in the process, some of the magical wonder felt lost.
The table contains basic details on Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince:
| Movie Name | Director | Box Office | IMDb Rating | RT Score |
| Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009) | David Yates | $926 million | 7.6/10 | 83% |
Yet, Craig earned a BAFTA nomination for Half-Blood Prince in 2010, although he later failed to win. So, it proves that while Craig’s work is still strong, this movie is often remembered more for its emotional story than its sets. That’s why, in this ranking, it comes at the bottom.
6. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Deathly Hallows: Part 2 not only marked the grand finale of the Wizarding World but also raised the bar for the franchise, after its predecessor failed at delivering magical set designs. Yep, given how Stuart Craig had to create epic battle scenes while still keeping the heart of Hogwarts alive, it made Part 2 a visual masterpiece.
The biggest set highlight was the destroyed version of Hogwarts itself. Seeing the once-beautiful castle in ruins was heartbreaking but powerful. Another standout was the Gringotts sequence. The underground caverns filled with gold, the multiplying treasure, and the dragon’s escape made this one of the most exciting set pieces in the entire series.
Stuart Craig blended real sets with CGI in a way that felt real and magical. Plus, the Room of Requirement returned, but this time it was in flames. So, watching it transform into a fiery trap full of cursed objects felt visually stunning. Basically, Craig gave fans both nostalgia and danger in one set.
The table contains basic details on Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2:
| Movie Name | Director | Box Office | IMDb Rating | RT Score |
| Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011) | David Yates | $1.3 billion | 8.1/10 | 96% |
This movie was nominated for an Academy Award in Best Art Direction and even scored a BAFTA nod, which proves the quality of Craig’s work. But because it focused heavily on action and destruction, it didn’t have as much fresh world-building as earlier films. That’s why we’ve placed it low in our ranking.
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
While Order of the Phoenix remains the longest book in the series with a comparatively shorter runtime, this movie introduced fans to one of the most breathtaking sets in the series: the Ministry of Magic. And for that, once again, we’ve Stuart Craig to thank, who designed the entire underground government headquarters from scratch.
The tall fireplaces, the tiled walls, and the mysterious Department of Mysteries, everything felt impressive and magical. The Ministry duel between Dumbledore and Voldemort is one of the greatest set moments in the franchise. The wide, echoing spaces gave the duel a grand stage, almost like a gladiator arena.
So undoubtedly, Craig’s design turned this battle into a visual masterpiece. Meanwhile, although the Ministry was the highlight, the film also used existing Hogwarts sets in smart ways. Like, the Room of Requirement looked simple at first, but its hidden design made it feel special. It became an important part of the story.
The table contains basic details on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix:
| Movie Name | Director | Box Office | IMDb Rating | RT Score |
| Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007) | David Yates | $937 million | 7.5/10 | 78% |
Naturally, this movie was nominated for a BAFTA for its design work in 2008. Sadly, although the film failed to earn the award, many fans still praise the Ministry set as one of the best in the whole series. For its bold new designs, Order of the Phoenix earns its place in the middle of this ranking.
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4. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
With Chamber of Secrets, both Chris Columbus and Stuart Craig had the tough job of expanding the world after the first movie. While it was the first time the film was delving into the darker atmospheres of Hogwarts, it became a challenge for Columbus and Craig to give us those darker, scarier sets while keeping the wonder alive.
For Craig at least, the biggest highlight was the Chamber itself. The massive snake statues and Salazar Slytherin’s giant face made the set not only dark and eerie but also unforgettable. Further, as he tackled this with ease and sheer perfection, the late legend then moved on with the expansion of Hogwarts by adding new areas.
For the first time, we got to see Dumbledore’s office, with its moving staircase and mysterious gadgets, which became one of the most beloved sets. Fans instantly recognized it as the perfect home for the headmaster. Plus, the Burrow, home of the Weasleys, was another warm and creative design.
The table contains basic details on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets:
| Movie Name | Director | Box Office | IMDb Rating | RT Score |
| Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) | Chris Columbus | $876 million | 7.5/10 | 82% |
The crooked furniture, the magical dishes washing themselves, and the cozy atmosphere showed Craig’s talent for making sets feel both magical and lived-in. Naturally, the movie earned a BAFTA nomination in 2003, but failed to win major design awards. However, Chamber of Secrets still remains one of the series’ most impressive sets.
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Now comes the top three best movies of the franchise, that’s also hailed for their production design. Starting with Prisoner of Azkaban, which is often hailed as the best installment brought to life by Alfonso Cuarón, it also gave Stuart Craig the chance to reinvent parts of Hogwarts. Alongside Cuarón’s darker, moodier world, Craig balanced his set designs beautifully.
He redesigned the look of the castle grounds with Hagrid’s hut, and also added the iconic wooden bridge, making the landscapes feel more alive. The Divination classroom was one of the best new sets. With its red curtains, crystal balls, and tea cups, it had a mystical and slightly eerie vibe that matched Professor Trelawney perfectly.
Stuart Craig showed his eye for detail by making the room feel cramped but magical. Plus, another standout was the design of the Knight Bus sequence. The triple-decker purple bus zipping through London streets was pure fun, and Craig’s creativity made it unforgettable. The moving beds and shrinking interior showed the playful side of magic.
The table contains basic details on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban:
| Movie Name | Director | Box Office | IMDb Rating | RT Score |
| Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) | Alfonso Cuarón | $784 million | 7.9/10 | 91% |
Once again, this film earned a BAFTA nod in 2005, even though it didn’t win top awards for design. Overall, it earned praise for its fresh look, leaving many fans to consider Prisoner of Azkaban as the turning point where the Wizarding World felt more real.
2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
For every Harry Potter fan across the world, the first film will always hold a special place in their hearts. After all, it was our very first look at the Wizarding World. And alongside Chris Columbus, Stuart Craig built the foundation of everything we came to love. Diagon Alley, Hogwarts Castle, and the Great Hall; everything became instantly iconic.
Especially Harry’s first journey to Diagon Alley was just an unforgettable experience. From Ollivanders’ wand shop to Gringotts bank, the set felt like a magical shopping street straight from the pages of the book. Craig made sure every corner had detail, making it feel alive. And then came the platform 9¾ that took us to Hogwarts.
Therein, the moving staircases of Hogwarts further became one of the most talked-about designs. Watching them shift as the students climbed gave the castle its magical, ever-changing character. Plus, there were the magical classrooms, the forbidden forest, and even the chess pieces where Ron sacrificed himself, so that Harry could proceed.
The table contains basic details on Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone:
| Movie Name | Director | Box Office | IMDb Rating | RT Score |
| Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) | Chris Columbus | $962 million | 7.7/10 | 80% |
After all this, Stuart Craig was naturally nominated for BAFTA as well as an Academy Award in Best Art Direction, for his set design in Sorcerer’s Stone. And while this became a huge achievement for Craig, we all know that without his work in Sorcerer’s Stone, the Wizarding World would never have felt as real and magical as it does today.
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1. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Even though Goblet of Fire isn’t often considered a great adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s novels, when it comes to production design, the film remains the crown jewel of the franchise. Stuart Craig truly outdid himself, creating some of the most breathtaking sets in the franchise. Particularly, the Triwizard Tournament gave him the chance to design new and exciting locations.
The underwater set for the Second Task was visually stunning, wherein Craig built parts of the lake environment, and the rest of it became magical and otherworldly with the help of special effects. Overall, it showed how design and effects could blend perfectly.
Then there was the Yule Ball, wherein the Great Hall was transformed into a sparkling winter wonderland, with ice sculptures, frosted decorations, and a shimmering dance floor. It remains one of the most beautiful scenes in the series. And finally, how can one forget the Maze Task, leading up to the graveyard scene, which became the most chilling part of the film.
The table contains basic details on Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire:
| Movie Name | Director | Box Office | IMDb Rating | RT Score |
| Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005) | Mike Newell | $885 million | 7.7/10 | 88% |
Therefore, with such stunning scenes and epic set designs, Stuart Craig finally won the BAFTA Award for Best Production Design for Goblet of Fire. After years of dedicating himself to the Wizarding World, Craig finally won his deserved award, which proved just how incredible his work was. So, for its bold creativity and unforgettable sets, this film easily takes the top spot in our ranking.
Let us know how you would have ranked the Harry Potter films based on their magical production design.
Harry Potter films are currently streaming in the US on HBO Max.
