WB is Waiting to See How FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE SECRETS OF DUMBLEDORE Performs Before Committing to Films 4 & 5
The Harry Potter films are part of one of the most successful movie franchises of all time. They depicted one of the most beloved book series ever written, and fans who loved them are now showing them to their kids, who are growing up loving them as well. So Warner Bros. jumped at the chance to expand on their already established fanbase, creating the world of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Based on the Harry Potter textbook and its author, Newt Scamander, the opening film took place in America, 70 years before the events we watched unfold at Hogwarts.
It seemed like a slam dunk, and the first film did decently, grossing more than $800 million globally. But the second film didn’t continue momentum, bringing in $650 million worldwide, and garnering bad reviews. Since the release of the first film, the franchise has been hit with one scandal and snag after another.
The creator of the Harry Potter books, J.K. Rowling, has been a source of controversy as she has made comments about the transgender community. The second film’s star, Johnny Depp, was asked to leave by Warner Bros. after being charged with assault of his ex-wife (which have now been dropped). He was replaced in the franchise by Mads Mikkelsen. Now the studio is grappling with how to deal with actor Ezra Miller, who plays Credence Barebone in the films. Miller is a loose cannon who has been in the news often, most recently after being arrested for being drunk and disorderly at a Hawaii karaoke bar, then allegedly breaking into a couple’s Hawaii hostel room, stealing some of their belongings, and threatening them, which ended with a restraining order against the actor.
So to say the studio is trepidatious about the future of the franchise is an understatement. As we approach this weekend’s release of the third film, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Warner Bros. has told Variety that the fourth and fifth films hinge on the success of number three. The report states that at the moment, there’s no screenplay for a fourth installment.
The report goes on to say “analysts believe Warner Bros. could save face by returning to reliable favorites at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For one, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone director Chris Columbus expressed an interest in adapting the Cursed Child stage show — which picks up directly after the epilogue in Deathly Hallows and centers on Harry, Ron, Hermione and their offspring — for the big screen. (Though Warner Bros. is an investor in the Tony-winning play, Rowling owns the rights to Cursed Child.) Potter and company could also find new life on streaming; though nothing official is in the works, there are early conversations about a Harry Potter-related TV series for HBO Max.”
I think getting back to the original characters would be the most lucrative decision for the studio. Whatever they do, I’ll probably show up for it. I’m excited to see what happens moving forward. What would you like to see in the future of the Harry Potter universe?