The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them franchise will see its third film release in April 2022, and while Warner Bros. recently dropped new promotional material, there has been very little fanfare surrounding the new installment. However, this isn’t a major surprise. The spin-off series has never really taken off in the same way its predecessor, Harry Potter, did. This is not to say the franchise is in any way a flop or unsuccessful. The first two films made a solid profit and received mostly positive reviews from critics. However, the overall response to the franchise from Potter fans and general moviegoers alike is lukewarm at best, and it doesn’t appear to be heating up any time soon.
The reason for this may be little to do with the franchise itself. It is, after all, well written, shot with the same magic as the Potter franchise and packed with a talented cast of both well-known and upcoming actors. However, the series’ various behind-the-scenes controversies, from J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans comments to Johnny Depp’s casting, have put a damper on fan interest. In addition to these scandals, some of the creative decisions around the franchise may have also put viewers off. Perhaps the most obvious is the choice to base the next wizarding journey on a relatively unknown story, one that has been accused of alternating existing canon. Of course, not every series has to be a one-billion-dollar success. However, it feels like Fantastic Beasts has never quite taken off nor lived up to its Potter-level potential — but why?
Johnny Depp’s Casting as Grindelwald Resulted in Scandal
Fantastic Beasts was only one film in when it courted its first scandal, one that would damage its reputation and contribute to a lack of interest from fans and audience members. In 2016, Warner Bros. announced that Johnny Depp was set to take on the role of the dark wizard Grindelwald. The backlash started when Depp was accused of domestic abuse by ex-wife Amber Heard. Many fans and critics were angry that the studio would choose to work with him while the allegations and subsequent investigations were ongoing. J.K. Rowling stood by Depp, but the controversy had already cast a dark shadow over the franchise.
In 2020, the studio ultimately fired Depp and recast the role of Grindelwald. Hannibal actor Mads Mikkelsen took on the role and will make his debut in The Secrets of Dumbledore. While the franchise ultimately resolved this controversy, it’s inarguable that the casting of Depp had an effect on the overall view of the franchise, with many turning away. It may have been hard for the franchise to take off when it was already in hot water.
J.K Rowling’s Anti-Trans Comments Alienated Harry Potter Fans
Author J.K. Rowling and her anti-trans comments have been cited as another major reason for the lack of hype around the Fantastic Beasts franchise. Back in 2020, Rowling came under fire for a Twitter post in which she expressed what many believed to be anti-trans rhetoric. She doubled down on these comments in a lengthy Twitter thread and a subsequent blog post. Her comments received widespread backlash from the media, public and Potter fans. Among the critics were Harry Potter actors. Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson both spoke out and showed their support for the trans community.
Rowling’s comments were no small controversy and would go on to change the way many fans would interact with the series. People on Twitter and Tumblr stated at the time that the comments had “ruined” the Harry Potter series for them, and many renounced their support of the Wizarding World altogether. While there are still plenty of Potter fans around, this controversy undoubtedly alienated many fans and potential Fantastic Beasts viewers.
Fantastic Beasts Might Not Have Been The Spin-Off Fans Wanted
Another reason that Fantastic Beasts may not have taken off is that it simply may not have been the spin-off fans were expecting or wanting. The franchise is based on a textbook from one of Harry Potter’s classes at Hogwarts. The textbook, titled Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, is based around Magizoology and the care of magical creatures, written by franchise lead Newt Scamander. The choice to make a franchise off of something so obscure may have been a good idea on the one hand. With Fantastic Beasts releasing so close to the end of the Potter franchise, the series needed to be different to succeed. However, it may have been a little too far from familiarity for some, with a few fans courting little interest from the get-go.
Potter fans have a list of spin-offs they had wanted to see on screen following the Potter series, and Fantastic Beasts was not one of them. Top of the list was a Mauraders era film based around Harry’s dad, his friends and the first wizarding war. Others included a series focusing on the founders of Hogwarts and, more recently, talks of a Cursed Child film adaptation. While Newt Scamander is a sweet and charming lead, perhaps Remus Lupin and Sirius Black may have received a little more fanfare had they been given a spin-off instead.
There are several other factors that may also explain why the Fantastic Beasts franchise has never taken off, such as the human embodiment of Nagini perpetuating racist stereotypes. Maybe another reason is simply that the franchise launched too soon after Harry Potter, and fans didn’t have enough time to miss it. Maybe the reason is a combination of a few or all of these things. Either way, the franchise, while not unsuccessful, does not appear to be picking up much steam with fans and moviegoers, even with the third film releasing so soon. It seems the series may not be able to win over a larger audience following its various controversies and creative issues. Fantastic Beasts is a franchise that appears destined for a quiet, more understated success.
To see how the franchise continues, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore arrives in theaters on April 15.
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