It's safe to say that some of the magic has left the 'Fantastic Beasts' franchise with it being tainted by J.K. Rowling's problematic views on the trans community, and the controversy surrounding Johnny Depp, who was removed from the role of Grindelwald due to a defamation lawsuit against Amber Heard.
Mads Mikkelsen promised a riveting performance as Depp's replacement, and fans know Mikkelsen plays the villain well. But it seems not even Mads Mikkelsen could quite save the franchise, which hasn't done quite as well as its predecessors.
As 'Fantastic Beasts 3' opened to a franchise-low, the series appears to be hanging in the balance, with only uncertainty surrounding the fourth film. There are no immediate, concrete plans for the Harry Potter franchise; there isn't even a script, as it's still undecided whether HBO Max will continue with 'Fantastic Beasts.'
Despite the consensus being that fans have had enough of the franchise due to surrounding controversies, there are still some Potterheads that would love more spin-offs and sequels connected to the Wizarding World.
One such idea has been pitched on Reddit for the 'Harry Potter' movies to get some gritty sequels where Harry Potter is a divorced, depressed, alcoholic Auror trying to stay relevant in a changing world.
Here's The 'Harry Potter' Sequel Reddit Really Wants
"[40-year-old Harry] is dealing with his PTSD, while also struggling with being a good co-parent with his ex. Then the serial killings begin," the Redditor said.
"Of course he’s gotten out of the Auror business and Draco (who works at the ministry) needs his help solving a new case, and this leads to the two of them having to work together," the Redditor continued, giving co-credit to a second Redditor for the bizarre yet exciting idea.
"Of course he’s going to be a morally grey anti-hero, and even Draco thinks he goes too far sometimes," said the Redditor. "Of course he’s going to have regular therapy with Luna Lovegood who has become a successful wizard therapist."
Obviously, a lot of these ideas would completely change the Wizarding World as Potterheads know it, but it seems most fans on Reddit are on board, adding their own stories to the wonderfully mad idea.
"Geeze that’s dark, okay someone send this to Radcliffe and Felton," one Redditor said. "I’m sure they’d be into it."
"Sounds like a Marvel movie," another Redditor said.
"One can also imagine Draco becoming more righteous and anti-dark magic than ever after seeing what it did to his family," another Redditor suggested. "People can surprise you."
"Eventually Hermione points out an incorrect rune translation in a coded message from the serial killer while she’s dropping off fresh pumpkin pasties to [Harry's] office," another Redditor said.
"I can image a good scene with Draco stepping through the mess of Harry’s inn room with disgust, and then summoning all his diplomacy. Harry informs him he doesn’t do [Auror work] anymore," another Potterhead said.
"They have a back and forth, and it’s Draco breaking down in angry tears that finally moves Harry to help. We get a wild Auror buddy cop movie, and Harry finds a new mission in life by the end."
What Happens To 'Wizarding World' If There Are No More 'Fantastic Beasts' Movies?
Warner Bros' decision about 'Fantastic Beasts 4' is still weeks (or possibly months) away. It's a hard decision that must be made: Warner Bros need to either confirm Fantastic Beasts 4 or pull the plug, and right now (April 2022) the future of the franchise hangs in the balance.
Things are shaky, but it does bring up the question of what will happen to the Wizarding World if Warner Bros decides to pull the plug. Will that be the official end to 'Harry Potter', or will there be attempts to reinvent the world and bring a new spin-off pitch to the table?
With the 'Harry Potter' films themselves becoming darker as they progressed, it's not out of the realm of possibility to have another spin-off series that is gritty. A large portion of Potterheads are adults themselves, so it would make sense for new ideas connected to the franchise to appeal more to adults, even though the series originally started as a story for children.
It also makes sense that a call to have Harry 'suffering from PTSD' has become so popular, because having an unhealthy and struggling protagonist is realistic and relatable. But are there scriptwriters out there willing to put much darker ideas on the table? Or perhaps it's best to call it a day and leave the 'Harry Potter' world as it is.
Who knows, as for now, fans must wait to find out whether 'Fantastic Beasts' will continue or not.
