Hogwarts Legacy is finally here, and Harry Potter fans seem to be flocking to it. The game has finally given fans the fantasy of attending Hogwarts and living within the wizarding community, and it has truly been a magical ride. It already seems to be a critical and commercial success, and it has only been out for a week. Hogwarts Legacy has made everyone talk about the Harry Potter franchise again, and it is hopefully the start of a resurgence for the IP.
The Wizarding World IP has been in a bit of a tough spot ever since the Harry Potter film series ended. While those films continue to be very popular, Warner Bros.' Next chapter failed to make an impact. The three Fantastic Beasts movies struggled to reach the heights of the Harry Potter franchise, and each film did considerably worse than the last. Now, Warner Bros. Is trying to figure out what it wants to do next with the Wizarding World franchise, and Hogwarts Legacy has shown that there is still a hunger for this magical world. If Warner Bros. Wants to continue the series, then maybe it should follow Avalanche Software's example.
Fantastic Beasts Failed to Make an Impact
Ever since Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 came out, Warner Bros. Has tried to figure out where to take the franchise next. The studio announced its ambitious Fantastic Beasts prequel series, which was going to follow Newt Scamander and his case of magical creatures across five different films. It was supposed to expand the franchise in new ways by going to brand-new locales. J.K. Rowling was going to pen the scripts, and David Yates was set to direct the films. While Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them showed promise, the next two films failed to make an impact at the box office.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them kicked off this series by showing fans what the wizarding world in New York City was like. It introduced all sorts of new characters, and told a fun story about Newt Scamander recovering the magical beasts that had escaped from his suitcase. It was mostly a fun and lighthearted affair with some darker undertones involving the vile Grindelwald mixed in. It was met with pretty strong reviews, and even made a decent amount at the box office.
The first movie started this new prequel series off on a high note, but things quickly fell apart once Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald released. The movie was far from a lighthearted affair, the story was a slog, and it did little to keep fans interested in three more films. It was met with mediocre reviews, and ended up being the lowest-grossing installment in the Wizarding World franchise at the time. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore was a bit of a step-up, but that film did even worse at the box office. It seems like the fanbase had no interest in the Fantastic Beasts series, and plans for a fourth one have seemingly been put on hold.
Hogwarts Legacy Proves Fans Want More Wizarding World Content
The Wizarding World franchise may be struggling at the box office, but it seems like it is not struggling in the gaming industry. Hogwarts Legacy has proven very successful for Avalanche Software, and Harry Potter fans seem to be loving every second of it. It has finally let them experience Hogwarts in all its glory, and it has gone a long way in expanding the franchise in whole new ways. While the Fantastic Beasts series may have shown that the Wizarding World IP is past its prime, Hogwarts Legacy has proven that there is still an immense hunger for more stories within the franchise.
Instead of going for a drab and mature story, Hogwarts Legacy went back to the basics. It brought fans back to Hogwarts, gave them control of a student, and let them experience what it is like to attend Hogwarts. One of the reasons Harry Potter was so successful is that it followed a kid as he grew up attending a wizarding school. It could be very lighthearted, but it also dealt with some pretty serious themes throughout its story. It was truly a magical journey through this world, and Avalanche Software seems to have understood this when crafting its game.
Harry Potter fans do not want a dark trilogy of movies following a bunch of older characters, they want to experience a magical lighthearted adventure with some darker undertones. They want to see the world through the eyes of a younger character, they want to go on a journey with them through the wizarding world, and they want to see the hero's journey play out inside this franchise. The Fantastic Beasts series did not give them that experience, but the next project could.
Warner Bros. Needs to go back to the basics if it wants to bring viewers back to the Wizarding World franchise. That does not mean it needs to reboot Harry Potter, but it needs to tell another story following a character's journey through this world. This could mean that Warner Bros. Makes a series following students at the United States school of Ilvermorny, it could make a better version of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, it could show viewers the younger years of Tom Riddle, or it could finally give viewers the Marauders' story they have been yearning for.
The Fantastic Beasts series partly failed because Warner Bros. Was trying to make Harry Potter something that it is not, while Avalanche Software understood what makes it special. Avalanche was able to inject magic back into the struggling franchise, and Warner Bros. Needs to take some notes from it. If it is able to replicate the success of Hogwarts Legacy and Harry Potter, then maybe the Wizarding World will be able to reclaim its spot in the film industry once again.
Hogwarts Legacy is available now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, and will release April 4 for PS4 and Xbox One, and July 25 for Nintendo Switch.