After the mediocre reaction to The Crimes of Grindelwald, a lot was riding on Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. The sequel grossed $655 million worldwide, which was a substantial dip from the previous film’s $814 million and the lowest total for a Wizarding World film. Critics and fans alike condemned The Crimes of Grindelwald, which was effectively a two-hour setup for the three planned sequels. So, even before dealing with various behind-the-scenes issues, the new film had to right the ship. There was always something going on, whether it was the recasting of Johnny Depp, the release date alterations, or the reaction against JK Rowling’s remarks regarding gender.
The Secrets of Dumbledore was released in theatres on April 8 in the United Kingdom and a week later in the United States. It was well received by reviewers, scoring 47 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, while the audience rating (84 percent) was greater than the previous Fantastic Beasts film. The global box office has traditionally been greater for Harry Potter films, but the domestic box office for the threequel is still low by the franchise’s norms. It might wind up being the first Potter film to fail to gross $100 million in the United States, and even if it does, it will be a far cry from the sequel’s $159.6 million domestic haul.
The Secrets of Dumbledore wasn’t going to be as big a smash as No Way Home, but it was hoping for a similar nostalgia bump. After the first film, the series shifted to focusing on the Potter characters, and Albus Dumbledore is undoubtedly the main character in the third instalment. Of course, the lacklustre box office success of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore doesn’t mean the series is over.
There’s a chance the film will do well enough on home video to persuade Warner Bros. that a final film would be viable. Because neither the fourth nor fifth films have been written, it’s possible that the events might be condensed into a single film.