Summary
- The future of the Fantastic Beasts franchise has been uncertain since the release of "The Secrets of Dumbledore" and director Yates confirms that it is currently on pause.
- The decision to expand on the thin volume of the Fantastic Beasts book for five films may have been hasty and contributed to the franchise's downfall.
- As J.K. Rowling's controversial views tarnish her brand, even nostalgic fans are losing interest in the franchise, and taking a break may be the best course of action.
Since Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore tanked at the box office, many have questioned the franchise's future. Now, thanks to the comments of one director, viewers may finally have an answer.
When the Harry Potter prequel first materialized, it was a simple film about a Hufflepuff who loves animals. Based on the supplementary text by notoriously controversial J.K. Rowling, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) spent his time in the original film getting into hijinks and stopping a literal witch hunt. Warner Bros. Then boasted the plan for a five-movie deal, which significantly stalled following the third installment.
With radio silence from the production company, the Fantastic Beasts franchise was left in the air. But now, someone with an inside line has some clarification to offer. “With Beasts for a minute, it’s all just parked,” director Yates relayed on the Inside Total Film podcast. “We got to the end of [the third film, 2020’s Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore] and we’re all so proud of that movie, and when it went out into the world, we just needed to sort of stop and pause, and take it easy.”
Yates has had a long career in the Harry Potter universe, which eventually spun out into Newt's adventures. The director has long maintained his pride in his work but also offered a different perspective. Rowling was the one who floated the idea of a five-picture idea for Fantastic Beasts, much to the shock of everyone else involved. But one could also argue this fast-tracked plan was hasty and could have been where the Fantastic Beasts franchise went wrong. Not to mention the controversial views of the author.
The Fantastic Beasts book is a thin volume that is what it claims to be – a text about beasts. Expanding on that for one film, not to mention five, is a large undertaking. Akin to adapting the single Hobbit book into three films, these movies can sometimes lose the thread of the plot. That most likely inspired delving into the Dumbledore (Jude Law) and Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen) drama, even though these movies should be Newt's story. At the end of Secrets of Dumbledore, the two powerful wizards go head-to-head, but there is no strict conclusion. Scary Harry Potter villain Grindelwald gets away to fight another day. This plot is left hanging, but that is probably for the best.
As Rowling's brand becomes more tarnished, even the most nostalgic fans are losing interest. Ultimately, viewers know where the life of Grindelwald ends up, and there aren’t many secrets to explore to begin with. The Fantastic Beasts franchise has run in a direction it was never meant to, and taking a breather is the best thing.
Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them is streaming on Max.
Source: Inside Total Film (via The Hollywood Reporter)