Today, according to media Variety, the decline in box office performance and the scandals of actors and screenwriters have led Warners to consider slowing down the “Fantastic Beasts” series, which may stall “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 4” and “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 5”.
The first installment in the series, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” was a commercial success, grossing more than $800 million worldwide.
But the follow-up, “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” was stalled by poor reviews, grossing $650 million worldwide, down nearly 20 percent from the first film. This is the lowest-grossing Harry Potter film to date.
The third film in theaters, “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” faces a particularly worrying movie prospect.
Since the pandemic, Hollywood movies have been severely impacted at the global box office, and “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” has not been inclusive in terms of content.
These shortcomings are worrying, since overseas sales of the first two “Fantastic Beasts” accounted for nearly 75% of the revenue.
After spending $200 million each for the first two films, Warner Bros. did their best to control the budget for “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” trying to keep the price under $100 million.
But after various factors, the third film still has a budget of 200 million US dollars, excluding expensive marketing costs.
Warner Bros. apparently made a big bet on Rowling, which allowed her to adapt the flimsy material of the “Fantastic Beasts” franchise into five films, but Rowling’s remarks have thrown everyone into a precarious situation.
Inside Warners, executives increasingly felt that the “Harry Potter” prequel series was no longer worth the time and money needed to resolve the plight of Johnny Depp (Gellert Grindelwald), Ezra Miller, Rowling, and the movie high cost in itself.
Some analysts believe that Warner Bros. can salvage the situation by focusing on the story of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
For example, “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” director Chris Columbus expressed interest in adapting the “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” stage play to the big screen.
The series is a direct link to the epilogue of The Deathly Hallows, centering on Harry, Ron, Hermione and their descendants. (Although Warner Bros. is an investor in the script, Rowling owns the rights to “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child”)
Although there is no official word, there have also been ongoing rumors of a “Harry Potter”-related TV series for HBO Max.
“The only way to get ‘Harry Potter’ back on stage is to go back to the original character, and that’s where the box office revenue comes in,” said Bock of Exhibitor Relation.
J. K. Rowling attended the world premiere of “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” but she didn’t take a photo with the cast.
Rowling made a rare appearance at the London premiere of “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” after missing the “Harry Potter” 20th anniversary special.
However, she did not speak to reporters or take red carpet photos with the cast.
These actions, and her near-silence on social media about the release of “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” are in stark contrast to her involvement in promoting the first two “Fantastic Beasts” films.
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