(SPOT.ph) Ready your forgetfulness charms, Potterheads, because it might be a while before the cliffhanger of the third Fantastic Beasts film is resolved. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore released in the United States to a franchise-low U.S. $42 million opening, putting the fate of the Wizarding World on the big screen in uncertain territory.
Following the previous $62 million opening franchise-low bar set by its predecessor The Crimes of Grindelwald, it was reported Warner Bros. Pictures would only greenlight a fourth and fifth Fantastic Beasts film (as part of the original plan) if Secrets of Dumbledore was a successful hit. At the moment, there are no reports of a completed script for the fourth film nor reports for one even being in development.
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Industry experts expect that Secrets of Dumbledore will ultimately earn U.S. $400 million globally, which would also be a franchise-lowest and would barely allow the studio to breakeven on a profit. The two latest Fantastic Beasts movies are tied for the second most expensive Harry Potter films produced, so it sounds like the best time to cut back on costs—but where does that leave the future of movies set in the Wizarding World?
Is Fantastic Beasts 4 Cancelled?
Warner Bros. is likely heavily considering that the Fantastic Beasts series be cancelled, put on ice—or worse, expelled—for now, as the series has been more costly for them financially and PR-wise. It would be the smart move perhaps to steer clear of the ongoing controversies surrounding Wizarding World author J.K. Rowling and actor Ezra Miller, who plays a key character in the series. The actor’s mischief doesn’t seem managed at the moment, having been arrested—twice in the span of a couple weeks—while in Hawaii over alleged harrassment and aussalt.
The studio had already requested Johnny Depp to resign from his role as the series' main antagonist Gellert Grindelwald, after the earnings of Crimes of Grindelwald was undoubtedly affected by Depp’s very public divorce with his wife Amber Heard in 2016. The abuse allegations, among a slew of other things, Heard and Depp have hurled against each other continue in court cases to this day. Depp was replaced with Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen for Secrets of Dumbledore, which wisely decided not to make reference to his complete change of appearance.
While Secrets of Dumbledore did earn better reviews than the previous Crimes of Grindelwald, the mixed reception was still relatively poor compared to the eight Harry Potter films. This begs the question, does the general audience care about Newt Scamander and the rest of the ensemble of Fantastic Beasts?
As the box office continues to prove the answer's no, the future of the Wizarding World might benefit from bringing back the original trio of Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint. Discussions have most likely been made regarding adapting Rowling’s The Cursed Child for a feature film. However, Radcliffe has already expressed his disinterest in reprising the Harry Potter role for the time being.
Some goodwill and interest—and of course, a strong sense of nostalgia—among audiences regarding the Wizarding World cannot be denied. Judging by the giddy reception of the Harry Potter reunion earlier this year, the theme parks, the first Fantastic Beasts film in 2016, and the promotions for the upcoming video game Hogwarts Legacy dropping later this year, fans prove themselves to be loyal—after all this time? Always.
For the industry to let go of the Wizarding World completely would be foolish, especially in the face of, let's face it, how lucrative this franchise has proven itself to be. However, Potterheads invested in Fantastic Beasts may need to take a hit and accept that the chances of this specific series continuing are low. With the ton of diverse stories that could still be told, though, there's no doubt the Wizarding World will continue to thrive.
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