Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire currently beats Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince 59–41

The franchise's first death edges out its most atmospheric entry.

VS
59% 41%
Based on 63 head-to-head votes across 1 bracket

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The Verdict Franchise Civil War

Newell's Goblet of Fire has the advantage of introducing stakes the franchise hadn't risked before — Cedric's death in the graveyard is the moment Harry Potter stopped being children's entertainment and started being something children had to process. Yates's Half-Blood Prince is the moodier, more visually sophisticated film — the desaturated palette, the burning Burrow, the cave's Inferi. But sophistication without the shock of precedent can feel like refinement rather than revelation. The lead says the film that changed what the franchise could do outperforms the one that refined what the franchise had become.

The Numbers

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Head-to-Head 59% 41%
Overall Win Rate 56% 41%
Championships 9 4
Avg Decision 3.7s 3.6s
Budget $150M $250M
Box Office $896M $934M

Where This Matchup Sits

BingeBracket has 82 Adventure films. Both land somewhere in the middle.