Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore arrived in 2022, and here’s everything to know about its sequel, Fantastic Beasts 4. The Fantastic Beasts franchise, a prequel series set decades before the Harry Potter films, has not had the smoothest journey so far. Between the release of the second and third films, the role of Grindelwald was recast — with Mads Mikkelsen replacing Johnny Depp — and J.K. Rowling at the center of controversy, among other things. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is the third installment in the franchise, following Albus Dumbledore, Newt Scamander, and their assembled group of allies as they aim to stop Gellert Grindelwald in his bid for power over the Wizarding World.
The third film certainly leaves room for more of Grindelwald and Dumbledore’s story to be told in Fantastic Beasts 4, if it’s still happening. Before the release of The Secrets of Dumbledore, it seemed rather clear there would be a fourth installment of the franchise. However, the future of Fantastic Beasts could depend on a lot of factors. With WarnerMedia merging with Discovery as well, will Fantastic Beasts 4 still happen? Here is everything to know about the fourth film, including what the story might entail and the predicted release date.
Fantastic Beasts 4 might still be happening, but the fourth installment is on shakier ground than the first three movies, and no confirmation has happened that the movie is being made. Per Variety, the Fantastic Beasts franchise is reportedly not worth continuing. As of right now, a screenplay for the film has not been written, and it’s alleged WB was waiting to see how Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore fared at the box office (poorly) before moving ahead with Fantastic Beasts 4.
The latest news comes from star Eddie Redmayne (Newt Scamander), who revealed in an interview (via IndieWire) that he’s heard neither hide nor hair about plans for Fantastic Beasts 4. The fact that Secrets of Dumbledore ended with Grindelwald not yet defeated sets the stage for the fourth Fantastic Beasts film, but it’s looking doubtful that WB will carry on with its original plans.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore was initially envisioned to be the third in a five-part pentalogy of Fantastic Beasts movies. However, despite Fantastic Beasts 3 arriving last year, there’s still no word on whether Fantastic Beasts 4 has been confirmed as of January 2023. While there’s been no official notice of the franchise being scrapped either, comments like those from star Eddie Redmayne aren’t exactly promising. Considering the wider controversy surrounding Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling, and the Wizarding World franchise in general, there’s every possibility that The Secrets of Dumbledore ends up being the final movie in a trilogy, rather than the mid-point of a longer saga.
It all depends on when (or if) the screenplay for Fantastic Beasts 4 will be completed. Suffice it to say fans might be waiting a bit longer for Fantastic Beasts 4, if it were to happen. Director David Yates is set to helm a film for Sony in the interim and Warner Bros. planned a break between The Secrets of Dumbledore and the fourth installment. Depending on how long the break will ultimately be, it’s possible the unlikely-looking Fantastic Beasts 4 won’t glide into theaters until mid-to-late 2025 at the earliest.
Since Fantastic Beasts 4 hasn’t been confirmed yet, there is no cast to report. That being said, on the slim chance that the movie is still happening, it’s best to look back at previous installments to see who would carry over. Rowling doesn’t look like she’s giving Ezra Miller the boot just yet, and he’d likely return as a dying Credence. Presumably, Mads Mikkelsen would stay in the role of Grindelwald, as Johnny Depp most certainly won’t return, and Jude Law would remain as Dumbledore. Eddie Redmayne has no news about Fantastic Beasts 4, but he’d definitely come back as Newt if the opportunity arises, and the same goes for Dan Fogler’s Jacob Kowalski. As for Queenie, Tina, and the rest of the gang, their lack of presence in Secrets of Dumbledore makes their futures less certain (particularly Tina).
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore ends with Aurelius being taken by Aberforth Dumbledore, who is revealed as Aurelius’ father. After losing the elections to lead the International Confederation of Wizards (ICW), Grindelwald and Dumbledore are now able to duel each other after the latter aims to defend Aurelius’ life from the former’s wrath. The breaking of the blood pact is crucial to how the franchise moves forward. Dumbledore is no longer hindered by it and can finally engage with his ex-lover in a way he couldn’t for years. More importantly, the ending of The Secrets of Dumbledore reveals Grindelwald’s bad intentions to the entirety of the Wizarding World, who was watching the events of the election unfold. That could mean Grindelwald remains in hiding for most of Fantastic Beasts 4, building his army behind the scenes before returning to the public eye.
Unfortunately, since Fantastic Beasts 4 hasn’t been confirmed yet, there is no trailer, promotional teasers, or behind-the-scenes images. People shouldn’t expect a Fantastic Beasts 4 trailer to be making the rounds any time soon, since Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore performed so poorly at the box office that it’s unlikely a fourth installment should happen. Instead, fans of the Wizarding World franchise should set their hopes on something different from on-screen Potter content, as it clearly hasn’t been performing well.
