The Secrets of Dumbledore came out in theaters on April 15. Despite the Harry Potter series being one of the most beloved children series of all times, The Secrets of Dumbledore has received an immense amount of criticism from fans. As the third movie in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them series, The Secrets of Dumbledore leaves fans wondering what the rest of the series will look like.
“I really enjoyed the first movie. I loved how they explored more of the world, the animals, and the history of hogwarts. Since then, the storyline has shifted which I do not know if I like. Before it was focused on Newt, and now it’s changed into more of the wizarding war and politics. It has gone from Kowalski, Tina, Queenie, to Dumbledore, Credence, and Grindelwald. I do still really like Newt as a character, and I wish he was more of a main character. He seems like a side character in his own series.” Helton Walker (‘24) said.
The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them series acts as a prequel to the original Harry Potter series. It examines Dumbledore’s dispute with Grindelwald, his ex-boyfriend. The series stars Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, an enthusiast for magical creatures and protagonist in the battle between Dumbledore and Grindelwald. The book for which the new franchise is named is mentioned in the Harry Potter series as a book studied by wizards who want to learn about magical creatures. Since then, it has been adapted to tell a story of its own.
The total number of sales at the box office has led experts to estimate the movie will make around 43 million dollars in the US. If this estimate is accurate, The Secrets of Dumbledore will be the lowest total box office sales in the history of the entire Harry Potter franchise. This does not bode well for the future of the series. Many Barstow students are fans of the Harry Potter series, so the failure of the newest film could alter the Barstow community’s perception of the series.The most recent film is the third in what is meant to be a series with five films. However, after the disappointment of The Secrets of Dumbledore, one is left wondering if the series will continue.
The reason for The Secrets of Dumbledore flopping at the box office has been disputed amongst fans. Some attribute it to the pandemic and a hesitancy to go to the movie theaters at all. However, this does not take into account the fact that other movies in theaters have done extraordinarily well in the pandemic. Others believe the drama surrounding Johnny Depp being fired from the role of Grindelwald due to his legal battle with Amber Heard is to blame. Finally, fans have blamed the decline to fans’ outrage at J.K. Rowling herself.
The obvious change in actor from Johnny Depp to Mads Mikkelson was distracting. They scrapped all of the prominent characteristics of Grindelwald such as the white hair and heterochromatic eyes. It was a complete change in character that took some time to get adjusted to. However, Mikkelson portrayed the character well and made the relationship between Grindelwald and Dumbledore more intimate. It also makes their story a little more believable. Imagining Johnny Depp’s character with Dumbledore does not seem compatible, so there is some silver linings to the change in actor.
Some of the storylines within the movie are a little convoluted. The idea of having multiple plans constantly going well could have worked, but everything seemed to muddle together during the movie. Yusuf Kama’s story did not seem to add much to the main plot and was in general forgettable. It could have been taken out all together and instead focus on the other two storylines. Credence’s story has really caused the original plot of Fantastic Beasts to go off course.
“I liked the addition of Credence the Obscurial, that was interesting but I feel like it made the series stray away from the original idea,” Walker (‘24) agreed.
Credence’s revelation of who he is did not seem as important as it should have felt. For the past two movies, it was his ultimate goal to discover who he really was, but learning about it in this movie felt underwhelming. Something about it did not seem as revolutionary as it should have been. Secrets of Dumbledore really failed in making this a turning point in the series.
Rowling has also received a lot of criticism lately from the Harry Potter community. In 2020, Rowling commented on an article title, criticizing the use of the phrase “people who menstruate” instead of women. Later, she tweeted, “If sex is not real, there is no same-sex attraction. If sex is not real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives.” Finally, Rowling tweeted a statement announcing her support for Maya Forstater, a woman who had been fired for transphobic comments at her work.
Rowling’s controversial replies have fostered a range of comments from fans of the Harry Potter series as well as those involved in the Harry Potter film series. Harry Potter fan Paris Lees tweeted, “There is just no evidence that me being me is causing problems for any of the other women I have met. If there are ever any problems between women and trans women they should be dealt with sensitively and sensibly on a case by case basis. Please, for the love of God, leave us alone.”
“I do not know why the books have stuck with generations for so long due to not only the book quality but also the author. Given the books are liked by such a widespread readership, I feel that she should have a more open mindset,” Jayden Sampat (‘24) said.
Actors from the Harry Potter films also responded to J.K. Rowling’s comments. Actress Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger, stated that, “Trans people are who they say they are and deserve to live their lives without being constantly questioned or told they are not who they say they are. I want my trans followers to know that I and so many other people around the world see you, respect you and love you for who you are.”
On International Women’s Day this year, Rowling commented on the proposed Gender Recognition Reform Bill in Scotland. The bill aimed to make the process of changing genders for Scottish citizens simpler. To do this, the bill proposed to reduce the age limit to change genders from 18 to 16, and require those who wish to change genders to live for three months as the gender they wish to transition to and then go through a reflection period of three months. The bill, if passed, would allow for more representation of the trans community, remove the previous requirement of a medical diagnosis of dysphoria, and better allow the trans community to represent themselves as such on legal documents.
When news of the bill came out, Rowling was quick to comment, tweeting, “Multiple women’s groups have presented well-sourced evidence to @NicolaSturgeon’s government about the likely negative consequences of this legislation for women and girls, especially the most vulnerable. All has been ignored. If the legislation is passed and those consequences ensue as a result, the @SNP govt can’t pretend it wasn’t warned.”
On the contrary, some fans have supported Rowling in light of the recent news surrounding her. One such fan is Eddie Izzard, a gender-fluid fan of Rowling, who believes, “I do not think J.K. Rowling is transphobic. I think we need to look at the things she has written about in her blog. Women have been through such hell over history. Trans people have been invisible, too. I hate the idea we are fighting between ourselves, but it is not going to be sorted with the wave of a wand. I do not have all the answers. If people disagree with me, fine, but why are we going through hell on this?”
The controversy surrounding Rowling’s comments could severely impact fans’ reception of the series from now on, as well as the success of the new Fantastic Beasts franchise. A large portion of the Harry Potter franchise are either members or supporters of the trans community. Future comments from Rowling could further make viewers feel alienated from her work. It is difficult to tell if Rowling’s reputation will ever be able to recover. These controversies with the writing issues in Secrets of Dumbledore may make things difficult for future Harry Potter installments.
