The Harry Potter movie that is widely considered the best of all eight actually performed the worst at the global box office.

The lowest-grossing film in the Harry Potter franchise will likely come as a surprise to many, as it’s widely considered one of the best adaptations of JK Rowling’s bestselling novels.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban fetched $783,221,274 (around £599,465,815) at the box office, however, this is the lowest earnings of any Harry Potter film. The highest grossing being the final installment in the franchise Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows:Part Two taking in $1,312,201,690 (around £1,004,549,443).

The third movie in the series is the only one directed by Alfonso Cuarón, in a departure from the first two installments which were directed by Chris Columbus. The Prisoner of Azkaban is certainly tonally darker and more mature, as the cast age and the stakes become higher.

However, reviews and rankings of the franchise always seem to place the Prisoner of Azkaban very highly, often in the top spot.

Collider's Adam Chitwood ranks the franchise and places the Prisoner of Azkaban at number one. Emphasising the impact of the film, Chitwood states ‘This is the movie that established the creative direction and formula for the films that followed’.

He gives the bottom spot to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, explaining that ‘while the film isn’t bad per se, it’s definitely the most laborious of the bunch.’ Interestingly, this film was the second lowest grossing of the movies.

According to Rotten Tomatoes ratings, Prisoner of Azkaban ranks as second place receiving a 90% rating, losing out only to The Deathly Hallows: Part Two which gained 97%. The lowest on the list, The Deathly Hallows: Part One, still earns a score of 77%.

The Prisoner of Azkaban is often cited as being the Harry Potter film that would work the best as a standalone film. Perhaps this is why it is a fan favourite, but this did not translate to the box office in the context of the franchise.

Harry Potter Franchise Global Box Office Ranking

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 - $1,312,201,690
2. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone - $963,637,834
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 - $944,062,255
4. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix- $937,034,773
5. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - $926,069,091
6. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - $885,222,986
7. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - $874,954,228
8. 8.Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - $783,221,274