Is harry potter on peacock for free

It goes without saying that the Harry Potterfranchise of books and films has been one of the most impactful of the 21st century. The magical world of wizards, monsters, and various other mythical entities has enchanted millions of fans worldwide and spawned a variety of spinoffs that keep its whimsical universe going long after author J.K. Rowling has ceased writing its main plotline.

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The streaming hub for all things Harry Potter has until recently been Peacock, but that seems to no longer be the case. So, why did Peacock remove Harry Potter from its service? Keep reading for all of the known details.

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Why did Peacock remove 'Harry Potter'? Where can you watch it now?

Unfortunately, Peacock removed the Harry Potter films from its streaming service, and it's not immediately clear why they did it. The films were available to stream on the service through the beginning of 2022, per Rolling Stone, but a quick glance over at the Peacock website reveals that to no longer be the case.

Currently, the site redirects users to USA Network's official streaming website, which seems to be hosting the series for the time being. Users can view these films by either signing into their existing paid NBCUniversal account (as USA is an NBC affiliate), creating a free account and using its limited features, or linking their television provider account. As of the time of writing, Peacock has not issued a statement about why the films were removed from their service.

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However, the company elaborated on its relationship with the Harry Potter franchise back in 2020. Per The Hollywood Reporter, the films were slated to only appear on the platform in set windows of time. Essentially, they would shift in and out of availability at certain intervals. It seems that we are now in a period where the films are being pulled from the streaming service.

Fans of the Harry Potter franchise who don't have an NBCUniversal account or a television provider are in luck, as there is another platform hosting all of the films. Paid subscribers of HBO Max have full access to the Harry Potter library as well as its offshoot films such as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, and Harry Potter: Hogwarts Tournament of Houses.

The eight Harry Potter movies are leaving HBO Max in the latest installment of the streamer's tennis match with Peacock over the rights to stream the films. As of Aug. 31, fans of the franchise will need to visit rival service Peacock, which got the films at the start of July, to stream them.

HBO Max subscribers won't be completely bereft of Potter-related content. All three movies in the Fantastic Beasts saga will still stream there. HBO Max is also the streaming home of the 20th anniversary Harry Potter special.

WarnerMedia's Warner Bros. signed a licensing deal with NBC Universal years ago, though WarnerMedia's HBO Max has pulled back the rights several times over the last few years, as each platform seeks the boost a popular franchise can give.

Until any future license swap, you'll need two platforms to stream the movies in order of CNET's definitive rankings.