The Harry Potter franchise has taken the world by storm, but the Fantastic Beasts series has fallen short. The Wizarding World has been pulling fans in for years as it brings viewers on a magic-filled adventure with some very charismatic characters. Almost every one has come to know Harry Potter and his friends, and a prequel series to the franchise seemed like an easy win. Bringing those same fans on another magic-filled adventure in the days before Harry was every born should have been a big hit, but the Fantastic Beasts series has been less than stellar. While the Harry Potter franchise consistently brought in big box office numbers and strong reviews, the Fantastic Beasts movies have slowly trudged along with diminishing returns.
It seems that Harry Potter fans just are not interested in the tales of Newt Scamander or Grindelwald. This could be due to many reasons like J.K. Rowling's recent controversies or the fact that the three films have failed to capture the feeling of the Harry Potter films. Whatever the case, the franchise has seemingly fallen apart, as the most recent entry struggled at the box office. While the first Fantastic Beasts movie made around $814 million in ticket sales, the third entry only made half of that. This has made a fourth entry very unlikely, but the story is still waiting to be finished. It may not be finished in another film, but it could work very well in a video game.
The Fantastic Beasts Story Still Has Some Lingering Threads
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore was the most recent entry in the franchise, and it seemingly tied up a lot of plot threads. Dumbledore was able to break the oath he made with Grindelwald that prevented him from confronting the malevolent wizard, Jacob and Queenie were able to figure out their relationship and get married, and Newt was reunited with Tina for what could be a happily ever after. On top of that, the mysterious Credence fell, and his storyline seems to have come to a close. It seems like the major characters of the franchise have all finished their stories, but the conflict with Grindelwald still looms.
At the end of The Secrets of Dumbledore, Dumbledore was finally able to attack Grindelwald. Neither side won, and Grindelwald was able to escape to continue inciting a wizard versus muggle war. Harry Potter fans know that Dumbledore finally defeated Grindelwald in 1945, but they have yet to see how that exactly happened. The Crimes of Grindelwald also hinted at a plotline involving World War Two that has not been seen yet. The main characters of the series may have seen their story end, but the larger conflict at play has still not seen its conclusion.
Dumbledore and Grindelwald's Duel Would Make a Good Video Game
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Harry Potter video games seem to want to give players the ability to tell their own Wizarding World story or control Harry Potter through his. That is great for fans of the franchise, but a game that put players in control of Dumbledore could be just as great. It is unclear whether fans will get to see Dumbledore and Grindelwald's final duel in a film, and based on the box office performance it may be unlikely. If the fourth Fantastic Beasts never sees the light of day, then the video game industry should step up to fill in the gaps.
Players could be given control of Dumbledore as he prepares for his final confrontation with Grindelwald. The game could also include that World War Two subplot that was hinted at and explore the Wizarding World during that time. A game could also flesh out Dumbledore and Grindelwald's relationship a lot better than a two-hour movie ever could. Players could witness Dumbledore's role during the height of World War Two, the fall of Grindelwald, and then Dumbledore's rise to headmaster of Hogwarts. It could also introduce a young Tom Riddle, since he first attended Hogwarts in 1938, which was seven years before Grindelwald was defeated.
Fans of the Fantastic Beasts movie series deserve to see how one of the biggest wars in wizard history played out. If the Fantastic Beasts movies cannot continue the story, then the best route would be for the video game industry to pick up the slack. Doing so could give fans a fantastic game to play, and it could help to further flesh out the controversial trilogy.