Why “Fantastic Beasts” Didn’t Repeat the Success of the Harry Potter Films

Most lovers of the world created by JK Rowling have read the books and regularly rewatch the Harry Potter films. As soon as the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them spin-off was announced, fans were already excited. However, none of the productions of the new saga about Newt Scamander was as successful as the saga about the boy who lived.

We, from awesome.club, we also love the wizarding world. So we decided to find out why Fantastic Beasts didn’t capture the hearts of fans in the same way as the Harry Potter story. Check out!

Before the release of the franchise about the boy wizard, the whole world was already reading books about him. Readers had time to love the character, had the opportunity to grow with him. And even, despite the magic, see yourself in it. After all, the boy went through the same problems as the rest of us: the transition to a new school, the process of meeting new people, meeting first friends, first enemies, and still having the experience of first love.

The film series about Newt Scamander could not repeat this success, because he is presented to us as adults. We don’t know what shaped the hero’s character or what his motivations are. The audience doesn’t even get a chance to discover anything in the early works, because all Potter says about Newt is that he’s a great wizard. The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them book turns out to be an encyclopedia about the animals in that universe, and we don’t have any information about Newt, which makes the character not as recognizable as Harry Potter.

The Harry Potter saga is a series about children and for children. The audience grows with the characters. Childish naivety gradually turns into heroism. And in Fantastic Beasts, they immediately break through naivety and show a dark cruelty and the ugly side of the wizarding world. © Kaki Olsen / Quora

The first scenes of the Harry Potter saga show how it all begins: a boy, unknowingly, has defeated a powerful evil wizard and is left in the care of his aunt. The viewer immediately understands that a difficult childhood awaits the hero and his long-awaited return to the magical world. Besides, at the end of the first part, you understand that this is not the end of the story about the fearless Potter: he will continue his studies at Hogwarts and new adventures await him.

In the first Fantastic Beasts movie, the story seems to start in the middle. The viewer needs to be patient to understand what is happening on the screen, who Newt is, why he went to New York and what his task is. This technique is popular in the movie world and keeps the suspense. However, in this case, it was not justified: the plot became complex and confusing. And when everything finally becomes clear, the story ends. Grindelwald, who appeared for a moment, is captured, the magical creatures that escaped are captured. Everything returns to normal, and there is no further development of events.

I think Fantastic Beasts is a long and rather boring movie. The plot was confusing, had too many things to keep track of at once. I’ve watched it several times and I still don’t like it. © Malika Krag Lund-Nielsen / Quora

The names of the Harry Potter films and books immediately indicate who the main character is who the plot revolves around. The other characters are added gradually, as are their personalities and motivations, but without going overboard. And even if sometimes we would like to know more about his friends or enemies, we still know that the main star is the witch boy. It was he who became the hero of a whole generation of readers and viewers.

However, in Fantastic Beasts, things are a little more complicated. Newt, of course, is the protagonist, but there are many charismatic characters besides him. And they are deep and appear almost simultaneously. Typically, the more the viewer learns about the characters, the more they empathize with them and become involved in the story. But in this case, that doesn’t apply to Newt Scamander, because all the characters are so different and original that, in context, he just gets lost in their midst and ends up not shining.

I found Newt boring and weird. Tina is just a girl who can’t mind her own business. Credence is a restless teenager. Well, Queenie is a real gem, the best character in the movie. © Chelsea / QuoraMy favorite character in Fantastic Beasts is the Muggle because he’s the only one who develops as a person. We don’t know anything about Scamander, but we don’t need to. He is just looking to add to his collection of animals. Honestly, Hagrid is a better version of Newt. Give the film to Hagrid. © Boundpalac E / Quora

In the fifth film, it is shown that Harry got into trouble with the law, and he was even put on trial. When he saved his cousin Dudley from the Dementors, he was forced to cast an expecto patronum spell in the presence of a Muggle, thus violating the main law of the wizarding world. However, at the same time, Harry had been warned beforehand about violating this rule. The boy was invited to a court session where he could speak in his defense, having the opportunity to prove that he used magic to save his life, in addition to Dumbledore being able to be his lawyer and a witness being called to defend him. And even if they tried to frame Potter and expel him from Hogwarts, justice prevailed.

Newt also got into trouble with the law. He unknowingly broke one of the Ministry of Magic’s rules when he showed Muggles magical creatures. However, it was unfair that during the conversation with the Aurors, Newt and his friends were immediately condemned! There was no defense, no witnesses. They didn’t offer to look into the memories to find out what really happened. They just sat and talked — and the next second, Newt was already doomed. Glad this misunderstanding was resolved.

In Harry Potter, we were quickly led to understand that there is a special term for people who are not witches – “Muggles”. And there was never a hint that that word was offensive. Everyone used it: from a simple witch to representatives of the highest authorities. And the public learned that this is just a designation.

However, Fantastic Beasts apparently decided it was incorrect to name them that way. And despite the fact that the events of these two stories are separated by some 60 years and the times of a more rigorous social vision are yet to come, other terms are used here. It is used only “non-magicians”. Of course, that is also essentially correct, but then, isn’t there a specific name for it already? Why not use it?

I don’t hate the Fantastic Beasts movies, although I have a lot of questions for the producers. The most important one is: why “non-magicians”? What the hell? They’re called Muggles, MUGGLES! © Gem May Anderson / Quora

The magical world that JK Rowling has been creating for a long time is based primarily on the Harry Potter story. Therefore, all the characteristics of this universe are associated by the public with the young wizard’s films. When we were introduced to costumes with traditional robes and attire, we didn’t think of the characters wearing simple, comfortable, and familiar clothes like ordinary people.

However, in Fantastic Beasts, the events take place 60 years before the Harry Potter story, and the wizards don’t seem to wear anything archaic at all. On the contrary, they wore elegant and modern dresses and suits, and traditional costumes were completely forgotten. Professor Albus Dumbledore appears wearing a suit with a vest looking like a true fashionista. Also, he teaches “Defense Against the Dark Arts” and not “Transfiguration” as written in the Harry Potter books. Although the costume is beautiful, it totally goes against the already established atmosphere.

It’s appalling to see Dumbledore and Ministry officials wearing Muggle clothes. Of course, in non-magical places, they need to blend in with other people, but not at the Ministry and at Hogwarts. © Jeffrey / Quora

Harry Potter is an unusual child who spent the first 11 years of his life living in a closet under the stairs of an ordinary, boring house. Of course, except for his first year of life with his parents, which he doesn’t remember anything about. So, when we are shown the boy’s reaction to seeing Diagon Alley, shops with magical items, then the Hogwarts Express and the huge magical castle of Hogwarts, we believe in his emotions and feel the same.

However, Newt Scamander’s adventures take place in a rather trivial and common environment: in big cities like New York, London and Paris. And not even the fact that Newt’s magical zoo is an incredible place doesn’t save the situation, because it seems very artificial and the actions there have no influence on the development of the plot. Spectators are only enthralled for a short while, and then the action switches back to the cityscape.

Why did they film in New York? The Harry Potter franchise is the most British thing since James Bond and Doctor Who. You can’t just change the environment and expect the audience to like it. © antoniokowatsch / IMDb

The wizarding world is a secret place. This is said very clearly from the beginning. Wizards must never reveal the existence of magic to Muggles. That’s why Harry Potter is forced to put up with his bad relatives, because he can’t just take a wand and hex them. And when something magical happens in front of ordinary people, special people from the Ministry of Magic are sent to the scene of the incident to put everything in order and erase the memory of eyewitnesses.

However, in the world that was shown in Fantastic Beasts, everything is completely different. Wizards should rather hide their abilities, but if necessary use them right in front of Muggles. Newt’s first film opens with him using the wand in the presence of baker Kowalski, a bank employee, customers, and the security guard. So when he gets ready to eliminate the evidence and erase everyone’s memories, but for some reason, he only erases Jacob Kowalski’s memories, completely forgetting about the other confused people in the bank.

There’s nothing wrong with a little…