Movie Timeline

In the books the years take place from 1991-1998. At first I thought the movies did to but when they show the Muggle World everthing looks more modern and it doesn't look like the 90s. I came to the conclusion the movies take place 2001-2008 a decade later. Does anyone else notice this?

In the books the years take place from 1991-1998. At first I thought the movies did to but when they show the Muggle World everthing looks more modern and it doesn't look like the 90s. I came to the conclusion the movies take place 2001-2008 a decade later. Does anyone else notice this?
I think that the books were meant to be timeless so no date was really mentioned there. The only references to dates that we have are Nicholas's 500th Deathday cake, which says he died in 1492, and there is a mention of a Playstation in GoF. However, I really don't think that the Harry Potter books need to be confined to any one time period for them to make sense-- the story is timeless so the directors just went with a current feel in the movies.

Can you give an example of what is in the movies but was not around in the '90s? The only thing I can really think of is clothing style, but even that is still close enough to pass off as '90s.

There's a song that was playing in the common room during the 5th movie that was either from last year or 2006.

You know I always thought about that. Well I think it actually said Harry's birthdate in the books and I think it said that he was born in 81 or so.

Didn't Deathly Hallows have James and Lily's birth and death dates as being 1960 and 1981 respectively?
This definately dates the stories between 1991 and 1998 and fits in with Chamber of Secrets being set 1992-93 and Nick's 500th year death anniversary as 1992.
It puts Harry's birthdate as 31st July 1980 and his starting school on Sep 1st 1991.

Every says the Movies are off on above timeline because the Dursleys have HDTV in OotP, but I'm not fussy about the timeline in the movies, it's hardly ever mentioned

Can you give an example of what is in the movies but was not around in the '90s? The only thing I can really think of is clothing style, but even that is still close enough to pass off as '90s.
The London Eye was in POA I think

The London Eye was in POA I think

And the Millenium Bridge is going to be in HBP...

I don't think they really bothered thinking about it. The Muggle part hardly comes in the movie. Why should they change half the landscape for about, fifteen-twenty minutes?

I would prefer a modern feel rather than a 90s feel, but to me it's not really that much of a big deal. :)

You know, I hadn't even noticed that in the movies, not being familiar with London anyway. :p

But now that you mention it, yes even their clothing is definitely more in today's vein than a decade ago.......
But then it always irked me more that we see then in school uniform as opposed to robes, I'd pictured them in robes all the time (except weekends) so when they're in regular clothes, I'm too relieved to notice :lol:

I think the directors have used a bit of creative licensing and set the movies today. It would be too much work for producers to go and find a bunch of early 90's cars etc. when most of the people watching the movies don't know that the books are set from 1991-1998. I just hope they don't make the epilogue look to ridiculously futuristic with flying cars and hover boards and stuff.

I woulden't worry too much about the time-frame of the epilouge since it will be limited to the plantform nine and three quaters set in the magical world.

apart from the Dursleys HDTV & the Thames scene in OotP, i dont think there is that much that would make you think that these movies werent set in the 90s.
the clothes that they were in most of the films are either 90s style or 00s retro anyway, so that doesnt really bother me at all!for me the books are timeless, and could be set in any decade (apart from the mention of Playstation!).

and Kanksha....i totally agree, i pictured them wearing the robes almost always, except as you say the weekends, or maybe evenings!....this kind of annoyed me with PoA...i can only recall one instant in the film when the trio are wearing their robes...when Dawn French is singing!

I don't think it really matters as long as everything looks like it's happening in some kind of logical order. I'm not sure what kids wear in the UK but I've never seen any teenagers wear what they wear here :lol: Looks a bit out-dated to be mid-late 2000s

I never noticed it much either but come to think of it the timelines are a decade later. Doesn't make much difference for the plot however so I guess it doesn't really matter.

I never really noticed the timeline of the movies. I mean, it's like Lisa_Turpin said, the story's timeless. sure, there's date references in the books but the story would still make sense if it were set in the 2000's or the 1800's. The wizarding world still works by candlelight, they don't work modernly at all so except for the Dursley's and other Muggle world references (such as Millennium Bridge in HBP), there's really no time references. The Wizarding world is its own world, and the times in the Muggle world don't really matter.

Despite the few times in the book a year is posted I think it could still be viewed as timeless. I know when I read the books I’m not thinking this is taking place during the early to late 90’s. If the movies are suppose to be set in 2000's not really a big thing since it does not change the storyline any.

You know, I hadn't even noticed that in the movies, not being familiar with London anyway. :p

But now that you mention it, yes even their clothing is definitely more in today's vein than a decade ago.......
But then it always irked me more that we see then in school uniform as opposed to robes, I'd pictured them in robes all the time (except weekends) so when they're in regular clothes, I'm too relieved to notice :lol:

Me too! I always pictured them in robes because in the book they always are, and it comes as a nice surprise to see them dressed like Muggles!!

Below is a constructed timeline in which the movies could be set in. All the time frames have been fitted to suit the movies, produced from info which has been collected.
1880

1881

1882

1883 ----- Dumbledore’s Birth

1884

1885

1886

1887

1888

1889

1890

1891

1892

1893

1894

1895

1896

1897

1898

1899

1900

1901

1902

1903

1904

1905

1906

1907

1908

1909

1910

1911

1912

1913

1914

1915

1916

1917

1918

1919

1920

1921

1922

1923

1924

1925

1926

1927

1928

1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

1934

1935

1936---- December 31 - Voldemort’s birth

1937--- Memory vial of Tom Riddle (Sr.), belonging to someone else

1938 ------ Dumbledore’s Memory vial of Tom Riddle (Sr.) - belonging to someone else
----- Hagrid’s Birth

1939

1940

1941

1942

1943

1944

1945 ------- Dumbledore’s Defeat of Grindelwald, both 63, Summer 1945

1946

1947

1948 -------- Tom Riddle’s First attendance, September 1st 1947 (he’d be 12 on 31st December)

1949

1950 ------- Hagrid’s First Attendance (he’d be 12 on 6th December)

1951

1952 ------ Chamber of Secrets First Opening , 15 yrs old (Year 5). 16 in December

1953------- Tom Riddle knows about Horcruxes from Prof. Slughorn. 16yrs old (17 in December)

1954

1955 ------- Tom Riddle’s Hogwarts leaving date, aged 18.
------- Sirius, James, Lily, Lupin, Pettigrew & Snape born

1956

1957 -------- Hagrid’s Hogwarts Leaving Date

1958

1959

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971 ---------- Lord Voldemort asks Dumbledore for DADA job in November.

1972 ------ James, Lily, Black, Lupin , Snape and Pettigrew’s Hogwarts leaving date, aged 17

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980------ Lord Voldemort’s First Full rise to power

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990 ------- Harry Potter was born James and Lily Potter : 35 years old

1991---- Oct 31. Lord Voldemort’s Downfall. 54 years old (55 in December)

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001
--------- PS
2002
------- COS
2003
------- POA
2004
-------- GOF
2005-------- Summer 2005 - Lord Voldemort’s Return - aged 68
------ OOTP
2006
----- HBP
2007------- Summer 2007 - Dumbledore’s Death - aged 123
------ DH
2008 --------- March 2008 - Lord Voldemort’s Defeat - aged 71 (72 in December)

harry wasnt born in 1990. he was born in 1980....

and the downfall was in 1981 not 1991.
i dont think thats different in the movies

As others have discussed, the movie timeline may be different from the books, due to London landmarks (eg Millenium Bridge - opened in 2000 and Gherkin Building - opened in 2004)...

These landmarks were shown in HBP and everything looks slightly modern in the movies, hinting that the story may take place in 2000s. Although not essential, it is nice to know the differences in the adaptations.

On the timeline in JKR site it has Dumbledore at the age of 115yrs old when he died.

Yes, for the book's timeline. Not the movies. The movies seem to be more modern with 2000s London landmarks featured in them, along with the Dursley's HDTV in OOTP.

I feel that those things dont matter. In my opinion, theyre just things in a movie...they dont tell anything about time. Which I guess is stupid of me..but idk, i still think of the movies being in tune with the books time-wise.

Yeah, the timeline doesn't really matter to the story, but it's something to look at while we wait for DH i suppose.

I just checked OOTP movie and the song, Boys Will Be Boys, was playing in the background in the Common Room. This song was released in June 2005.