14 Apr – Although Warner Bros. had previously planned for five instalments of JK Rowling's "Fantastic Beasts" series, rumours are rife that the studio is now rethinking its steps. A report from Variety recently stated that Warner Bros. is now awaiting the box office result for "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" to determine whether or not it should have a fourth and fifth movie. According to Variety, "There's speculation about whether or not Fantastic Beasts will complete its ambitions as a five-film franchise. At the moment, there's no screenplay for a fourth instalment, sources have confirmed. Executives at Warner Bros. are waiting to see how The Secrets of Dumbledore is received before giving films four and five the greenlight."
It is noted that the movie series have been marred by many scandals, from accusations of abuse against Johnny Depp by ex-wife Amber Heard, and the subsequent backlash the studio received when it decided to drop the actor amid the changes in the situation concerning him and Amber Heard, Ezra Miller's arrest over his series of altercations over the years, as well as JK Rowling's own controversy over the comments she made against the trans community. In addition, the second film, "The Crimes of Grindelwald", was highly criticised by critics and the public alike for its shaky plots and unfocused characters, and became the lowest scored movie in the Harry Potter universe.