4 Years Ago Today, Harry Potter Fans’ Dreams of 1 Wizarding World Story Were Crushed (& HBO’s Remake Can’t Save It)

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The Harry Potter universe is getting another adaptation, and it’s likely to be a hit, just like the books, movies, and theme parks have been. However, it’s worth remembering that not every attempt to expand the Wizarding World has succeeded, and that one notable failure stands out as particularly frustrating for fans.

I was really excited when the Fantastic Beasts movies first came out – they felt like a great addition to the Harry Potter world. But honestly, the series just kind of lost steam. The third film, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, came out in April 2022, and it didn’t do very well with critics or at the box office – it only made $407 million worldwide after costing $200 million to make. It was a shame, because originally they planned for five movies, all building towards the epic duel between Dumbledore and Grindelwald in 1945, which was supposed to be this huge, legendary wizarding fight.

We Might Never Get To See Dumbledore & Grindelwald’s Duel On Screen

The battle between Dumbledore and Grindelwald is famous and remains unmatched in its power and the fear it struck in onlookers. It was also a pivotal moment, as Dumbledore’s win led to Grindelwald’s imprisonment, brought an end to the worldwide Wizarding War, and secured his possession of the Elder Wand. The Fantastic Beasts films have been leading up to this confrontation, establishing Grindelwald as the primary antagonist, and The Secrets of Dumbledore showed a short clash between them, taking place in the 1930s.

The films added more background and complexity to the conflict between Dumbledore and Grindelwald. They explored not only Grindelwald’s ascent to power, but also the personal connection and feelings between the two wizards. While this relationship wasn’t always portrayed effectively—especially in The Crimes of Grindelwald—The Secrets of Dumbledore began to clearly show their history on screen, moving beyond subtle suggestions.

As a huge fan, I always felt the wizard duels in the Harry Potter films were a bit of a letdown – they mostly just showed people shooting spells back and forth. But the fight between Dumbledore and Voldemort in The Order of the Phoenix was a clear step above the rest, even if it didn’t quite match how I pictured it while reading the book. Honestly, if they’d really leaned into that, built on what they started, it could have been absolutely incredible! It might not have perfectly captured everything I imagined, but it still could have been a truly amazing scene if they’d gone all out.

It’s unlikely we’ll see sequels to the Fantastic Beasts films. Plans for Fantastic Beasts 4 and 5 seem to have been abandoned, and the current focus is on a remake. While the remake could potentially incorporate elements of the original planned sequels – especially since it’s exploring a wider range of stories beyond Harry Potter’s perspective – it would be costly and might distract from the main plot. Perhaps a brief mention of the events could be included when the history of the Elder Wand is covered, but a full depiction of the duel seems improbable. Fantastic Beasts represented the opportunity to continue that story, and unfortunately, it didn’t succeed.

What Went Wrong With Fantastic Beasts?

The Fantastic Beasts films didn’t succeed for a few key reasons. Primarily, the movies just weren’t as well-made as the original Harry Potter films. While quality isn’t always a guarantee of success, these films didn’t meet the high standard set by their predecessors. This led to a lack of enthusiasm and a noticeable drop in ticket sales, demonstrating a declining interest in the series.

The Fantastic Beasts series faced several challenges. Controversy arose from J.K. Rowling’s statements about transgender people and the casting of Johnny Depp amidst domestic abuse allegations – he was later replaced in The Secrets of Dumbledore. Beyond that, the films drifted away from the original concept of focusing on fantastic creatures. The first movie was well-received and successfully captured the magical spirit, and might have worked better as a single film. Subsequent installments shifted the focus to Dumbledore and Grindelwald, diminishing Newt Scamander’s role and introducing plot inconsistencies with the wider Harry Potter universe.

Any one of those issues on its own probably wouldn’t have destroyed the franchise. If things had gone well, we might not even be talking about a Harry Potter remake – the studio might have continued exploring other stories within the wizarding world, like a series focused on the Marauders. However, when all these problems happened at once, it was a devastating blow to the franchise, potentially ending our chances of ever seeing a Dumbledore versus Grindelwald movie.

The Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies are available to stream on HBO Max.

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2026-04-15 15:40