More details have emerged regarding the uncertain fate of Warner Bros.’ Fantastic Beasts franchise, as one of its key stars has recently commented on the series’ future.
It has been over two decades since J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone introduced readers worldwide to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and their magical adventures at Hogwarts.
Despite controversies over the years, Harry Potter remains one of the most beloved franchises in entertainment history.
However, the Wizarding World is not immune to challenges, particularly at the box office.
The Fantastic Beasts spinoff series includes the lowest-grossing movie in the franchise to date—2022’s The Secrets of Dumbledore—which led Warner Bros. to remove the series from its development plans. Recently, one of the franchise’s leading stars addressed its uncertain future.
The series began promisingly with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) but faced significant setbacks with its sequels, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022).
The franchise struggled with a disjointed narrative, controversial changes to established lore, and external controversies.
These included the replacement of Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald amid his legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard, as well as ongoing backlash against J.K. Rowling for her comments on transgender issues and feminism.
Following the disappointing $407 million global box office return of The Secrets of Dumbledore, Variety reported in 2022 that Warner Bros. had no plans for additional Fantastic Beasts movies, despite Rowling’s 2016 assertion that the series would span five films.
In 2023, director David Yates confirmed the franchise was “parked,” while actors Eddie Redmayne (Newt Scamander) and Jude Law (Albus Dumbledore) expressed similar sentiments in 2024. Redmayne noted, “As far as I’m aware, that’s it,” while Law described the series as being “on hold.”
Now, another principal cast member has added her voice to the discussion. Katherine Waterston, who portrayed Tina Goldstein in all three films—albeit with a reduced role in the latest installment—shared her perspective in an interview.
Waterston revealed she is still under contract for potential future films but remains skeptical about their likelihood.
“The last two films probably won’t get made, but that’s only based on a gut feeling,” Waterston admitted.
“I know nothing, and I’d probably be one of the last to know if something was happening because, with films of that size, people aren’t calling up the performers to keep them updated.”
Reflecting on her contract, she mused, “Do contracts expire? I’ve never thought about that before, but they probably do at some point, right? At the moment, we are bound to them, but I think that ship has sailed.”
It seems unlikely that Warner Bros. will revisit this prequel era of the Wizarding World. Beyond the disappointing box office returns, the studio is shifting its focus toward rebooting the Harry Potter franchise with a new high-budget TV series on HBO.
The ambitious project, expected to span a decade, will dedicate one season to each of Rowling’s seven original books. The first season is anticipated to debut in 2026.
In June 2024, Francesca Gardiner was announced as the showrunner, with Mark Mylod set to direct and serve as an executive producer.
David Heyman, a producer of the original Harry Potter film series, will also be involved, alongside Rowling, who retains a creative role.
HBO chief Casey Bloys confirmed during a press event on November 12 that Rowling was “very, very involved in the process selecting the writer and the director.”
He also stated that her controversial views had “not affected the casting or hiring of writers or production staff” for the series, as reported by Variety.
While the future of Fantastic Beasts remains in doubt, Warner Bros.’ continued investment in the Wizarding World demonstrates the enduring appeal of this cultural cornerstone.
Beyond the screen, fans will soon be able to go through a new chapter of the Wizarding World in Universal Destinations & Experiences’ Epic Universe park in Orlando, Florida, which will include a Ministry of Magic expansion.
