While not as big a narrative cluster-headache as its predecessor, the plot is still a mess. “Secrets of Dumbledore” released April 15 and almost certainly failed to meet its box office goals after bringing in $280 million on a $200 million budget so far. Legal issues amongst its cast, creator JK Rowling’s TERF status and struggles at the box office forced Warner Brothers to question if the franchise was a worthy investment. Prior to the release of “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” the future of the “Harry Potter” spinoff franchise was thrown into doubt.
