Summary
SinceFantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledoretanked 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 theHarry Potterprequel first materialized, it was a simple film about a Hufflepuff who loves animals. Based on the supplementary text bynotoriously 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, theFantastic Beastsfranchise 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 theInside Total Filmpodcast. “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 theHarry Potteruniverse, 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 forFantastic Beasts, much to the shock of everyone else involved. But one could also argue this fast-tracked plan was hasty and could have beenwhere theFantastic Beastsfranchise went wrong. Not to mention the controversial views of the author.
TheFantastic Beastsbook 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 singleHobbitbook 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 ofSecrets of Dumbledore, the two powerful wizards go head-to-head, but there is no strict conclusion.ScaryHarry PottervillainGrindelwald 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 knowwhere the life of Grindelwald ends up, and there aren’t many secrets to explore to begin with. TheFantastic Beastsfranchise has run in a direction it was never meant to, and taking a breather is the best thing.
Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Themis streaming on Max.
MORE:The Fantastic Beasts Story Should Be Finished in a Video Game
