WhenFantastic Beasts and Where To Find Themfirst came out in 2016, it excited audiences all over the globe, presenting them with the opportunity to delve into the next chapter of the wizarding world they fell in love with during theHarry Potterfranchise. Although theFantastic Beastsfilm series isn’t directly related toHarry Potter, it pays homage to some of the beloved places and characters, including Hogwarts and Dumbledore, and this was enough to revive the hard-core following of J.K.Rowlings works.
However, with recent controversies surrounding so many of the people involved inFantastic Beasts, the franchise has taken a major hit, and after the second film, people are already turning their eyes towards the third installment,The Secrets of Dumbledore.The Crimes of Grindlewaldearnedsubstantially less at the box officethan the first film of the trilogy, and after the seemingly unsuccessful release weekend of the third movie, it is feared that this one will follow suit, being the lowest-earning of any of theHarry Potterassociated films to date.
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There are several reasons why this may be occurring. One most prominent factor is that many fans believe that the films lost their Newt Scamander - the most lovable character in the first film, and his beautiful, naive perspective of the world, as well as his love and desire to protect the innocent creatures in a world where they were persecuted. In the second film, it felt like a Part 1 build-up to a much bigger, grittier story, and it lost the humble magic that made the first film so endearing and captivating to watch. He went from a lovely, bumbling, and passive man to a mighty hero of a story that was on such grand proportions it blew any sense of relatablily out of the water.
The other reason the films have done so badly, is most likely due to the unavoidable controversy that came as a result of the backlash J.K.Rowling received over her tweets, something openly (and not so openly) unendorsed by theHarry Pottercast and crew. Many fans feel disconnected from her world now, a place that felt safe for them to be their true selves. Things seem to be settling however, with Rowling taking a backseat in all thingsHarry Potter.
There is of course more controversy and turbulence emitting from the ongoing struggle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, which led to the former beingdropped from his acting role as Grindlewald. Many fans are actively boycotting the films due to this, his role having been given to Mads Mikkelsen forThe Secrets of Dumbledoorfilm. While there is a lot of credit toMikkelsen’s portrayal of the character, some stating he was a much better choice and made a far better Grindlewald that Depp, thestudio’s choice to drop Deppsat sourly in many a fans mouth.
If this wasn’t enough reason for fans to have had enough with the cursed world ofFantastic Beasts, the recent arrest of Ezra Miller on claims of harassment and disorderly conduct in Hawaii back in March, was the final straw. All of these things are bound to affect theperception of theFantastic Beastsfilms around the globe, and put people off of watching the third installment, but the issues that are currently surfacing withThe Secrets of Dumbledorego far beyond that, beyond the actors and creators, and right to the very heart of why many sequel-type shows struggle: the canon.
Many fans simply aren’t on board with the representation of Dumbledore, because it goes so far against the canon for the character demonstrated in the films and the books. There are many things about the young Dumbledore that feel forced and shoe-horned in to make it appear as though it’s always been this way, and hisrelationship to Grindlewaldjust doesn’t feel authentic. And as the third film centers explicitly around these elements, fans have become disillusioned with the franchise, feeling that it has strayed too far from its wizarding world roots, and also from the magical beasts that were so captivating and awe-inspiring in the firstFantastic Beastsfilm.
The second became a political, jumbled mess that left many viewers feeling deflated, and the third film looks to be hammering that nail into the coffin, with audiences already deeming it problematic, tragic, and dishonorable. Even the people making the film seem to have lost motivation of belief in their ability to make the films good, having originally set out to make fiveFantastic Beastsfilms, now they are considering letting the franchise fade out at three.
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