Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is finally out in theaters. While the opening weekend numbers are solid in the pandemic era, it was also disappointing as it is the lowest in the Wizarding World franchise story which puts a lot of question regarding its future as there are diminishing returns in each entry.
However, despite the underperformance of the recent Fantastic Beasts entry, it doesn't necessarily mean that the Wizarding World franchise will be over according to a report from TheWrap. Warner Bros. insiders said that the studio is not ruling out more theatrical films and HBO Max projects in the franchise even with the recent film's performance. The success of the reunion special last January and the enthusiastic response to the upcoming RPG game Hogwarts Legacy proved that the Wizarding World still has a life outside the Fantastic Beasts series.
There's no doubt that the Wizarding World is one of Warner Bros.' lucrative franchises under their belt so it's not surprising to hear that they have no plans to pull any plug on possible spinoff projects surrounding it. While The Secrets of Dumbledore is not performing well so far and is projected to miss the $500 million mark at the box office, there are more ways to expand the franchise as there are a lot of stories that they can tell in its universe outside Newt Scamander.
So does this mean that there won't be a fourth Fantastic Beasts film anymore? It is too early to make a decision regarding it as the studio is still going to observe its entire box office performance in the next couple of weeks and, even if it underperforms, it looks like they won't make any panic decisions regarding the franchise's future.
If they decide to do a fourth film, they might have to make some changes to possibly cut down the budget or a creative overhaul in an attempt to put the glory back to the franchise which was once widely beloved. Someone would suggest that making another Harry Potter film might be the solution although that seems to be unlikely for now given Daniel Radcliffe's recent comments about the possibility. Either way, while the future of the franchise might be in limbo, at least we have an assurance now that the Wizarding World will still be there no matter what and continue to bring magic to millions of people.
Also Read: Fantastic Beasts 3 Finally Confirms Dumbledore's Sexuality
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is currently showing in theaters everywhere.
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