Harry Potter and the Wizarding World

[Bill1978]

I remember the broad strokes of the second movie and admit I enjoyed it right up to the ridiculous cliffhanger ending, which I genuinely do not care about seeing explained. And honestly, both trailers have me keen to watch the new one since it doesn't showcase much if any of the cliffhanger character. Plus it will be the first movie I've seen in the cinema since Raya

[Ben]

So that was Raya And The Last Movie, for you?

Weren’t you going to give something else a go recently? You were unsure in case it turned out to not be good and it’s an hour's drive. Was it Spidey? If so then well worth it!!

[Bill1978]

It may have been Spidey not too sure. Or maybe it was The Batman. I definitely didn't see Spidey in the cinema due to the Omicron explosion in my state at the time of release plus I didn't want to experience the fantactical screaming I saw on the net. And by the time everything calmed down I was like 'Eh I'll wait for home release'. I caught it over the weekend on Amazon Prime. And I really enjoyed it, but also not disappointed I didn't see it at the cinema.

But since I've seen every Wizarding World movie in the cinema so far, I might as well keep the trend going.

[Ben]

You’re far more committed than I!

I kind of gave up after the first Beasts, and so glad we didn’t waste time, money and effort to go out to see the second one. This looks better, but only because they’re pandering to the fans more by going back to Hogwarts and doing the Dumbledore backstory, essentially.

[EricJ]

What, the fans didn't like gray American office buildings? Widdle babies wanted Hogwarts back again?
Gee, next they'll be asking for Harry back!

[Ben]

Oh, he’s coming…

[Daniel]

The HBO Max anniversary special will premiere on Cartoon Network and TBS this Sunday, April 10th. Can finally watch it!

[Ben]

It’s a pretty fun watch, even if you’ll learn almost nothing new and it does feel like an extended and elaborate DVD extra. But definitely one worth a watch!

[Daniel]

Especially for free!

[Ben]

Aye! We were lucky in that the Sky Max channel here, which has an agreement with HBO, played it "for free" here too (as well as the Oscars, which was a nice surprise! I got to see Will Smack live!). Sky has gotten so much better now Murdoch's hands are not all over it.

[Daniel]

Honest Trailer for The Secrets of Dumbledore:

[Ben]

All so true. This series never took off, never got going, and is now so full of inconsistencies, complicated plot points, characters that come and go, others that shouldn’t still be hanging around, etc. It’s just not a thought out or organic process, yet again illustrating what happens when something is made for money as a franchise extension as opposed to being a natural story that someone feels the burning passion to tell over time.

I mean…why is it even called Fantastic Beasts? Brand recognition is the only reason, because we'd heard of it. The first film wasn’t even about "where to find them", as Newt had *already found them all* by the time the story starts! The second was an interminable mess in which supposed central character Newt dropped to second fiddle to the guys that were already the second fiddles in the first one, and by now it’s just become a pointless Bumblebore prequel that’s again over complicating and actually undoing the Dumble-lore already established in the "later" Potter stories, thus making him even more of a dick than he could sometimes come over as because of retcon storytelling.

Nope…JK used up her one trick on the Potter series. Beasts was never more than, basically, fan fiction that predictably wanders off from lack of focus or solid central concept, and now we have an aimless series that seemingly has no resolution. I’m not sure I agree that we won’t see another Potter-tied film for a long while, but I don’t think we'll see *two* more Beasts. They don’t really have the story wrapped enough to call it a trilogy, and will want to do "the final chapter" thing to try and make the last one a bigger event, so we will probably see this limping along to one more just to wrap it up, however distracting the "issues" are with JK, Ezra Miller, and a complete and total lack of story.

Just give Chris Columbus and the original cast a billion dollars each and let them get on with the Cursed Child movies before it’s too late!

[EricJ]

I mean…why is it even called Fantastic Beasts? Brand recognition is the only reason, because we'd heard of it.

Also, because Warner--trying to get away from their initial deal that could let them make original movies after the end--tried to keep the illusion that they were "Adapting JK's books", and the Hogwarts mock-textbook for the Care of Magical Creatures class was one of the only other non-Harry bestsellers at the time. (Besides "Tales of Beedle the Bard", which was just a hype setup for Deathly Hallows Pt. 1 anyway.)
Which is why the first movie took time out to TELL us about the various CGI critters, when...the plot remembered to. Like trying to make a plot out of Audubon's Birds of North America.

Just give Chris Columbus and the original cast a billion dollars each and let them get on with the Cursed Child movies before it’s too late!

I can't recall, someone posted an article about Warner considering a franchise "reset" from Fantastic 3's fallout, and no prize for guessing which idea they'll consider first.
New Hollywood studio rule for the 10s/20s: When the franchise runs out, time for the gray-haired High School Reunion.

[Daniel]

From August 31st, all Harry Potter films will be leaving HBO Max and will be exclusive once again to Peacock.

[Ben]

Evanesco!