The same cannot be said for The Secrets of Dumbledore, which made an abysmal $405.2 million worldwide on a $200 million budget. The studio spent over $100 million on marketing. So that $200 million budget is closer to $300 million or more. Also, studios only keep 50 to 60 per cent of ticket sales in the US. That figure falls to 20 to 40 per cent for overseas tickets.
Therefore, only a portion of that $400 million went into WB’s pockets. In other words, The Secrets of Dumbledore lost money. As such, you can understand David Zaslav’s decision to put the franchise on pause. But what does that mean for the wizarding world?
Zaslav (Warner Bros. Discovery CEO) revealed during an earnings conference call that WB was open to more Harry Potter films. You can’t fault them for taking this route. Harry Potter is a $25 billion franchise consisting of movies, merchandise and amusement parks.
Pottermore, Harry Potter author J.K Rowling’s website, is one of the biggest platforms on the internet. I haven’t read a Harry Potter novel in more than 15 years, but every time a new Fantastic Beasts trailer hits the internet, I can’t help but get excited, because the music tickles my nostalgic buttons.
It reminds me of the joy Rowling’s stories added to my childhood. I am not alone. WB knows that a new Harry Potter film series, possibly even a TV show, would drown them in money. But the gamble has drawbacks.
First, a poorly-made Harry Potter film series would taint the legacy of the original, possibly even killing any interest in this franchise. People continue to engage with the wizarding world despite the poor quality of the Fantastic Beasts films because Newt’s journey is wholly separate from Harry’s adventures.
The Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter movies do not necessarily cross over with one another. Yes, Fantastic Beasts relies on concepts introduced in Harry Potter, but the cast and actors are brand-new. A new Harry Potter film series that picks up where its predecessors left off could destroy the name.
Secondly, the original cast is gone. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson have gone to great lengths to separate themselves from Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Returning to those roles would ruin all their hard work.
But would audiences tune in for a Harry Potter project that doesn’t feature their favourite characters? Personally, I don’t mind. My attachment is to that world, not the characters. But for some fans, the Harry Potter franchise is worthless without Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Even if they could coerce Radcliffe, Grint, and Watson back into the roles that made them famous, where would they take the story?
Rowling can’t make these films. She tried her best, but Fantastic Beasts proves she is better off writing novels. Some of us expect the author to announce a new Harry Potter book any day now, which makes sense. WB can find a skilled screenwriter to adapt them.
If you think Rowling has lost her step after all these years, read Cormoran Strike. She publishes the crime fiction books under a pseudonym (Robert Galbraith). The series is shockingly entertaining.
If Rowling can pen a new Harry Potter novel, one that follows a new set of students at Hogwarts or an older cast of beloved characters as they navigate life after Hogwarts, most of us will tune in. But does that mean the Fantastic Beasts series is officially dead? Only time will tell.
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