The Fantastic Beasts movies tried to tell Albus Dumbledore’s story, but with the franchise’s failure, the upcoming Harry Potter TV remake can finish the job. The films had been initially toted as a prequel series following all new characters, but when Dumbledore showed up, it quickly became something of an origin story. This was intriguing since the Harry Potter movies left out a lot of the headmaster’s backstory, which had been a significant part of the Deathly Hallows book. Of course, Fantastic Beasts missed the mark with audiences, but Dumbledore’s history can still make it to the screen.
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Harry learned about Dumbledore’s dark relationship with Gellert Grindelwald. He was devastated to discover that his old idol had once taken the perspective that Muggles should be ruled over (dominated) by wizard-kind. Of course, the headmaster’s story wasn’t really that simple, and, in the books, Harry slowly began to put the full mystery together. Unfortunately, much of this didn’t make it into the Harry Potter movies, which is why Fantastic Beasts tried (and failed) to include it—now the Harry Potter TV remake can finish the job.
HBO’s Harry Potter Series Can Restore Dumbledore’s Story (Including Some Of Fantastic Beasts)
The Harry Potter books came ready with Dumbledore’s origin story, and readers learned all about the headmaster’s friendship with Grindelwald, his temporary fall into a bigoted mindset, and the tragic death of his sister, Ariana, as a result of his plans for domination. All of this provided context for the man that Dumbledore was when Harry knew him and brought to light the series’ theme that even heroes aren’t perfect. Unfortunately, this wasn’t translated to the Harry Potter movies, so Fantastic Beasts took up Dumbledore’s backstory. Still, three films in, and the franchise has yet to satisfy the character’s tale.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore failed at the box office, and the news that the Wizarding World franchise is starting a new project with the HBO Harry Potter remake series seems to indicate that there will not be a Fantastic Beasts 4. However, this isn’t too bad of news for Dumbledore since the best part of his Fantastic Beasts storyline could be included in what HBO is calling a “faithful” adaptation of the beloved book series. So, even though the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts movies failed to bring the details of Dumbledore’s past to the screen, the TV remake can finally make it right.
Why The Harry Potter Remake Should Avoid Direct Links To Fantastic Beasts
Though HBO has promised a book-faithful TV adaptation of the Harry Potter books, the series will likely expand on Harry’s story. The idea of this is enough to give fans pause since trying to jam in too many non-canon details into the wizarding world is precisely why Fantastic Beasts rubbed audiences the wrong way. However, if done carefully, there are several ways that Harry’s story can be improved with a little extra information. Some long-debated mysteries, such as the true power of the Deathly Hallows, can be laid to rest, and the stories of characters like Dumbledore can be seen in more detail through flashbacks.
This way, the Harry Potter remake can bring a satisfying close to the Fantastic Beasts story. Perhaps actor Jude Law could be cast to play a younger Dumbledore, and a few episodes could be dedicated to elaborating on the character’s past in a way that can wrap up Fantastic Beasts. However, given the franchise’s overall failures, it would be wise for the HBO series not to directly link to the prequel movies by bringing in characters that aren’t related to Harry Potter. Mentioning Newt Scamander’s name is one thing, but with the Wizarding World franchise moving forward, it may be best to leave the non-canon aspects in the dust.