Discouraging Update for Fantastic Beasts 4, But Director Hints at Newt's Return

Article Overview

Fantastic Beasts 4 is currently on hold with no development happening, according to director David Yates.

Yates's involvement in Fantastic Beasts 4 is uncertain as he has expressed interest in exploring other non-wizard projects. Furthermore, doubts about the future of Fantastic Beasts 4 arise from the declining success of the spinoff franchise and lower Rotten Tomatoes scores.

Franchise director David Yates delivers a discouraging update on Fantastic Beasts 4. Known for helming the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them trilogy, Yates shares that plans for the next installment are currently on hold. However, he does express optimism about the return of the main character, Newt. Yates's comments were made during an interview with the Inside Total Film podcast. You can read his full statement below (via Winter Is Coming):

After completing the third film, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore in 2020, we took a moment to reflect and appreciate our achievement. Once the movie was released, we decided to take a break and relax. As for the future, it is uncertain if Newt will return. We have yet to have detailed discussions about it.

What Does This Mean for Fantastic Beasts 4?

Yates has once again raised doubts about the possibility of Fantastic Beasts 4. Earlier this year, he mentioned his interest in exploring non-wizard related projects, such as the crime drama Pain Hustlers. Although a Fantastic Beasts 4 could potentially move forward without Yates, his strong connection to the project suggests that the chances of another film in the series are less likely.

Furthermore, the spinoff franchise has experienced diminishing success. The Rotten Tomatoes scores for the films have significantly declined, with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them starting with a Certified Fresh 74% and dropping to 36% and 46% for Crimes of Grindelwald and The Secrets of Dumbledore, respectively. Adding to its challenges, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore underperformed at the box office, generating only $407 million worldwide despite its hefty $200 million budget.

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With Yates's updates being discouraging and considering the track record of the series, the chances of Fantastic Beasts 4 happening are not favorable. Although Yates has not completely ruled out the possibility of the series, and even mentioned the potential return of Newt, it is clear that any new Fantastic Beasts content will not be released in the near future. However, fans of the Harry Potter universe can look forward to HBO's Harry Potter TV series, which is currently being developed, as a way to continue exploring that world.

Source: Inside Film Podcast

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I'm disappointed to hear that Fantastic Beasts 4 is currently on hold. I've been a fan of the Harry Potter franchise since I was a child, and I was excited to see the Wizarding World expanded with the Fantastic Beasts series. However, I understand that the declining success of the spinoff franchise and lower Rotten Tomatoes scores may make it difficult to justify the investment in another film.

I'm particularly sad that we may not get to see more of Newt Scamander, who is one of my favorite characters in the Harry Potter universe. Newt is a kind and compassionate person who is passionate about magical creatures. He's also a bit of an outsider, which makes him relatable to many fans. I would love to see Newt's story continue, and I hope that Warner Bros. will reconsider their decision to put Fantastic Beasts 4 on hold.