The Wizarding World Franchise Is Dead, According to Warner Bros.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter may have been declared dead by Warner Bros. Discovery by accident, which begs many concerns about what transpired to the property and what Warner Bros. plans are for the series going forward. David Zaslav discussed the future of Harry Potter and other well-known WBD brands on the company’s Q3 earnings call, noting that “We haven’t done a ‘Harry Potter’ movie in 15 years.” This comment may appear benign, but it actually has some very serious ramifications, including the possibility that it confirms the end of the Wizarding World series.
The Fantastic Beasts spin-off series, which includes the most recent instalment, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, has continued the Harry Potter franchise even though the final mainstream Harry Potter film was released in 2011. But David Zaslav’s wording suggests a few crucial points. First off, claiming there hasn’t been a Harry Potter picture in 15 years suggests that the studio doesn’t consider the Fantastic Beasts movies to be a success. This makes sense given that The Secrets of Dumbledore’s box office results suggest that fans are not attending nearly as frequently as they did for the mainline Harry Potter movies. Second, Zaslav doesn’t allude to the property by the Wizarding World moniker, indicating that WBD might be doing away with it.
Why the Fantastic Beasts and The Wizarding World movies failed
The failure of The Wizarding World spin-off films can be attributed to a number of major factors. First off, they just failed to get viewers to return for the rest of the series. Although Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was a box office success, there weren’t enough intriguing plot lines to hold audiences’ attention. Although the Harry Potter universe is fascinating, the original series’ compelling characters were what drew viewers in. The Fantastic Beasts series is largely original, therefore the movies lack the books’ sturdy structure to support their narratives. It was a strange decision to develop a brand new series for a series that is so reliant on the support of its readers original film series.
The Fantastic Beasts movies’ failure is largely attributable to the fact that they were released far too late. From 2001 to 2011, Harry Potter movies were released every year or two during the run of the first series. Five years had passed by the time Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was released, and many casual Harry Potter fans had moved on. Although the Fantastic Beasts films often break even and receive positive reviews, the timing and plots of the series have led to a general lack of interest among viewers. In addition to all of this, the series has experienced a lot of bad luck in the form of performers quitting and fans turning against the property.
What Will Happen Next With The Harry Potter Series?
The Harry Potter series is far from over, despite the fact that it is now at a standstill. A number of new Harry Potter films and television series are currently in the works. The chance of a Fantastic Beasts 4 film remains, despite the lack of any formal announcements. Additionally, there have been whispers of a live-action Harry Potter HBO Max series for some time. Zaslav’s remarks might be implying that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child should be considered for adaptation, but there is also the possibility of doing so. Warner Bros. Discovery may be able to revive interest in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter thanks to a significant video game and an upcoming expansion at Universal Studios.