The Fantastic Beasts franchise might be based on the highly successful Harry Potter movies, but it doesn’t seem to be captivating theater audiences in the same way.
Of course, the theatre industry is still struggling to recover from the hit it took during the global health crisis, but the Harry Potter franchise, as well as Fantastic Beasts, have seen many recent controversies. Perhaps that’s why the new film Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is struggling at the box office.
According to Variety, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore had the lowest opening weekend of any film in the entire Wizarding World franchise. The third Fantastic Beasts movie earned just $20.1 million on Friday and Thursday night previews. However, analysts have predicted that three-day opening numbers will reach $40 million.
Although that doesn’t seem like a HUGE loss, the film has been struggling, particularly with a $200 million production budget, as well as COVID-related delays and safety costs. The Wizarding World franchise has also suffered from several recent controversies — most notably, Harry Potter author and creator J.K. Rowling has come under fire for her statements regarding her views on the LGBTQ+ community.
There was also controversy surrounding the recasting of Johnny Depp as Grindelwald — in the new film, Mads Mikkelsen has taken over the role. Also, one of the movie’s stars, Ezra Miller, has recently faced criminal charges.
However, analysts believe that Fantastic Beasts: Secrets of Dumbledore could make up for its lack of success in the U.S. internationally — the film is projected to reach above $175 million worldwide by the end of the weekend.
We’ll keep an eye on the box office and keep you updated, so stay tuned for more from AllEars!
VIDEO: Watch The Trailer for ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’
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Have you seen Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore? Let us know in the comments!
I’ve heard nothing but good things about the movie. I’m not thrilled at all about them dropping JD, even though I didn’t think he fit into this universe, I think he would’ve done an excellent job and the main thing about the franchise that I love is how the characters always stay the same if at all possible. I can’t stand that Ezra guy, but I want him to stay cast in this role.