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A fourth Fantastic Beasts movie is no longer in the works

15 November 2022, 17:53

Dumbledore confesses his love for Grindelwald in new Fantastic Beasts trailer

By Sam Prance

It looks as though the Fantastic Beasts franchise is over for now.

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Warner Bros. have announced that there are currently no plans to continue the Fantastic Beasts franchise with a fourth film.

When Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was released in 2016, J.K. Rowling revealed that she intended to make five Fantastic Beasts movies. Speaking at a fan event, she said: "We always knew that it was going to be more than one movie, we knew that from the start, but I’ve now done the plotting properly, so we’re pretty sure it’s going to be five movies."

However, it now looks like those plans have been scrapped and the Fantastic Beasts series has ended for the time being.

Will there be a Fantastic Beasts 4?

Following the release of the third Fantastic Beasts movie, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, the cast and Warner Bros. have remained tight-lipped about a potential fourth film. In April, Variety reported that were was "no screenplay" and Warner Bros. were "waiting to see how The Secrets of Dumbledore is received before giving film four the greenlight."

Now, Variety have revealed that Warner Bros. still have no plans to do Fantastic Beasts 4. They write: "There are no active discussions currently with Rowling about developing another Harry Potter movie. There is also currently nothing in the Wizarding World in active development at Warner Bros., inclusive of both Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts."

The news comes in the wake of the Fantastic Beasts franchise being embroiled in multiple controversies. First of all, Johnny Depp was replaced as Grindelwald following backlash over his casting due to Amber Heard's abuse allegations. There has since been a demand to remove Ezra Miller from the franchise following grooming allegations against him.

On top of that, Harry Potter author and Fantastic Beasts screenwriter J.K. Rowling has come under fire in recent years due to her repeated transphobia.

J.K. Rowling at the World Premiere of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore in London. Picture: Getty

It's possible that Warner Bros. are halting the franchise in a bid to avoid further controversy. However, it's also possible that the franchise simply isn't profitable enough anymore. The films have by and large been panned by fans and critics alike and, while the first grossed $814 million worldwide, the third grossed $405 million worldwide in comparison.