Even before Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore debuted to a lukewarm $43 million last weekend, there was much speculation about the future of a franchise that still technically has two more installments to go, even if neither of them have been given the green light as of yet.
While the international numbers have been much stronger than the figures being pulled in on the domestic front, there’s more bad news for Albus and the gang this weekend, with the latest chapter in the Wizarding World saga continuing its rapid downward trajectory.
DreamWorks’ latest animated feature The Bad Guys is set to take top spot by the time the dust settles tomorrow with a higher-than-expected $25 million haul, and second place will go to Sonic the Hedgehog 2 in its third frame, after the video game adaptation leapfrogged The Secrets of Dumbledore in a matter of days.
Newt Scamander’s latest adventure is tracking for a sophomore drop of almost 70%, which would put it at around $13.5 million for the weekend. However, The Northman is hot on its heels with a projected debut of $12.5 million, so the Viking epic could realistically finish ahead of Fantastic Beasts 3 should it over-perform today and post a strong Sunday.
A $200 million blockbuster directly connected to Harry Potter dropping from first to fourth in the space of 10 days would be a complete and utter disaster for both Warner Bros. and the property, with yet more questions being asked about the brand’s continued viability on the big screen.
