At one point in time, the magical world of Harry Potter was a second home to many. Whether it was for the novels or the movies, fans everywhere saw themselves in the colors of their favorite houses and casting spells with their homemade wands. It's been a long time since the adventures of Harry and his friends came to an end, though. And the magic hasn’t been the same.
Updated September 17, 2023: This article has been updated following the announcement of the Harry Potter Max series and recent comments by Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav.
When Warner Bros. announced the production of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, fans were elated at the prospect of returning to the beloved wizarding world. It would be a new adventure for a new generation of Potter fans. It was a success, too — the first film at least. The subsequent two, The Crimes of Grindelwald and The Secrets of Dumbledore, would not meet the standards that fans expect. Mired by controversy and poor storytelling, the magic has diminished. Indeed, The Secrets of Dumbledore failed to impress fans and critics and was a disappointment at the box office. In total, five Fantastic Beasts movies were confirmed to be planned back in 2016. In 2021, director David Yates confirmed interest in returning to direct the remaining two films. However, now, the future is in question: should Fantastic Beasts 4 still happen?
Storylines Concluded in The Secrets of Dumbledore
Fantastic Beasts 4 could continue if Warner Bros. decides there's still life within the Wizarding World, but if they wanted to discontinue their efforts, now may be the best time. While not every character from the series saw their arcs concluded, three of the main story threads were. The muggle Jacob reunited with Queenie, who had joined the side of Gellert Grindelwald in The Crimes of Grindelwald, and the two married with most of the characters in attendance. Credence, the troubled Obscurial drawn into Grindelwald's cause, was revealed not to be Dumbledore's brother but his nephew and renounced his allegiance to the dark wizard before reuniting with his birth father, Aberforth.
Then, there's the story of Dumbledore and Grindelwald, the relationship that became the focal point of the Fantastic Beasts series. Having broken the blood pact that prevented them from fighting, they immediately dueled to a stalemate. Grindelwald escaped, and the confrontation set up their final duel in 1945. It's known from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 that Dumbledore will win, but the fight will complicate the already complicated history of Dumbledore further.
As is the problem with all prequels, there isn't much suspense in who lives or what happens when all the main characters are accounted for in the original story. The key is to make the story of how things happened interesting, but the duels in the franchise have become dull and repetitive, so there are few fans left who really want to see it play out. Perhaps it would be best to end the story with their fight from The Secrets of Dumbledore as their conclusion. At the very least, it would leave a little mystery surrounding Dumbledore's character.
A Decline in Revenue
Looking from outside the story, things haven't looked good for some time. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was a commercial success, earning $800 million worldwide, but The Crimes of Grindelwald drew in 20% less than its predecessor with $650 million. The disappointing turnout put the franchise on thin ice with Warner Bros., meaning The Secrets of Dumbledore would have needed to do better if there was any hope for the final two films in the franchise. Unfortunately, the film was snake-bitten from the start. The COVID-19 pandemic upended the theatrical business, putting a roadblock in the way of its drawing power. Then, there's the slew of scandals from those involved: Johnny Depp, Ezra Miller, and J.K. Rowling became absorbed in controversy, further turning fans away from the picture.
Internationally, the studio had to remove dialogue regarding the queer nature of Grindelwald and Dumbledore's relationship. If not for this, it would have been banned in countries like China, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates due to their strict censorship mandates on sexuality, swearing, and other aspects that conflict with their cultural values. Furthermore, the film was not released in Russia due to the country's invasion of Ukraine. About 75% of the global revenue for Fantastic Beasts came from overseas. In a time of such immense unrest, The Secrets of Dumbledore never stood a chance.
When the film was released, it was the least successful film in the Harry Potter franchise. It was the first one to be considered a box office bomb, with the film's domestic total barely beating out the various Harry Potter films opening weekend. It is show business, and investing in a fourth Fantastic Beasts film just doesn't make much business sense.
Lack of Fan Support
Another notable flaw in this series is crucial: fans are just not getting behind it. Expectations were high going into Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them as many long-time Harry Potter fans wanted to recapture the magic they had grown up with, but by the time the sequel rolled around, the issues were glaring. Messy plotting, too many characters, and a lack of connection to Rowling's source material were among some complaints lodged by fans. These issues forced Yates, screenwriter Steve Kloves, and Rowling to rework the Secrets of Dumbledore script to better capture the magic of the Harry Potter world. This retooling would make for a better film, but it was still poorly received.
The scandals surrounding the film also drove fans away. While many agree that Mads Mikkelson made for a better Grindelwald, fans were furious when Depp was forced to step down due to his allegations of domestic abuse. The actor was a controversial figure, and while he had some supporters, he also had many against him, so this was a no-win scenario for the studio.
The controversy surrounding Miller didn't do the film any favors either, as their character has been one of the focal points of the series' main storylines. Warner Bros. would have a similar issue with Miller regarding the release of The Flash just one year later. But surprisingly, Rowling herself may have hurt the film the most. Her transphobic comments drove a serious wedge between fans and caused many to swear off the Wizarding World for good. The author had essentially destroyed her own legacy and the franchise she had built.
Chances of a Rebound?
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore ended on a note that could serve as the ending for the franchise while leaving the door open for sequels. The remaining plot points of the series, mainly the battle between Dumbledore and Grindelwald, are known to the audience so if there was a big audience demand for it, they could make the movie, but it also can be left open-ended as the outcome is already determined by the start of the first Harry Potter film.
The chances of a new film seem unlikely. The third film needed to make more money after The Crimes of Grindelwald had landed the series on thin ice, and it failed to do so. The studio may instead choose to make a separate spin-off within the same universe. Chris Columbus, director of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, has expressed interest in adapting The Cursed Child, which takes place after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and follows the children of Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
Return to Hogwarts
While the future of the Harry Potter franchise seemed like it could only continue by moving on from the movies, the less successful ventures since the series finale appear to have made Warner Bros. think just the opposite. Instead of expanding the universe, the franchise is instead opting to just retell the same old story.
The original book series is set to be adapted for the screen once again, but this time as a television series. While there is no news yet about when the show could possibly premier, the studio is selling this version as being a faithful adaptation of the books. The question is if this new series will have an impact on the future of the Fantastic Beast franchise.
Recent comments from Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav remarked how Warner Bros. underutilized Harry Potter. Yet the franchise did try to grow beyond the boy wizard with the Fantastic Beasts films. Sadly, they did not connect and were largely victims of the controversy surrounding the creative team. Now it appears there will be more Harry Potter projects, but just the same material audiences have already seen but longer. Maybe someday the story of Fantastic Beasts will be revisited as a MAX series, or maybe it will be incorporated into the new Harry Potter television series, but for now, this franchise appears to be over.