Roughly two years ago, Warner Bros.’ Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them took in over $74.4 million at the domestic box office in its debut weekend. That film would go on to make almost $815 million worldwide when it was all said and done, assuring a sequel to the Harry Potter prequel franchise-starter would be on the way. For what it’s worth, Fantastic Beasts was also the lowest domestic box office debut for movies in the Wizarding World of J.K. Rowling, so we’ll see if the new film, the tenth in the series, can top it.
As current box office predictions have it, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald should be within striking distance of the first film’s total tally for the weekend, though just barely. Variety reports that anywhere from $65 million to $75 million in ticket sales could pan out for David Yates‘ sequel when it opens November 16th. There shouldn’t be much in the way of competition, however, with Fox’s crime-thriller Widows (which could be a sleeper hit) and Paramount’s Mark Wahlberg comedy Instant Family also debuting. Holiday hangers-on from the weekend before include Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch and the not-so-family-friendly flicks The Girl in the Spider’s Web and Overlord, so it’s Newt Scamander’s weekend to win; by how much remains to be seen.
If you’re unfamiliar with the plot, here’s the synopsis of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, followed by details on how you can check it out in ScreenX for the first time ever:
Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” is the second of five all new adventures in the Wizarding World™ created by J.K. Rowling.
At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.
The film features an ensemble cast led by Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, with Jude Law and Johnny Depp. The cast also includes, Zoë Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, Kevin Guthrie, Carmen Ejogo, and Poppy Corby-Tuech.
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” is directed by David Yates, from a screenplay by J.K. Rowling. The film is produced by David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Heyday Films Production, a David Yates film, “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” to be distributed worldwide in 2D, 3D, 4D, Dolby Cinema and ScreenX in select theatres and IMAX by Warner Bros. Pictures.
via Collider