J.K. Rowling penned screenplay for Warner Brothers new film within the phenomenal lore of Harry Potter will be out this week, rolling out in many important film markets around the world. "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" is set in an era decades before the years of the "Harry Potter" installments.
Warner Bros. Is hoping that Harry Potter fans will still flock theaters to catch "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them", five years after the release of the last Harry Potter film. But the film studio is still banking on the magic of the Harry Potter universe as new lead Newt Scamander, wizard, textbook author, and collector of curiosities, will dazzle them with his out of this world adventures.
But analysts cautioned that even though "Fantastic Beasts" unfolds in the same wizarding world of Potter, it is not a new installment in the long-running franchise. Thus, it should not be measured as such.
"It's not going to open like a Harry Potter film," said Eric Handler, an analyst with MKM Partners, in a Variety report. "People are still trying to figure out what this story is about and who the characters are."
With film analysis and forecasts being cautious as to how the film would fare in the box-office, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" is still eyeing a big debut between $70 to $75 million in 4,000 domestic locations. While these estimates are considered soft in comparison to the debut of every Harry Potter films, the film is expected to get a substantial lift from the opening of several overseas markets, except China, with an expected haul of $125 million. The film is opening in mainland China next week.
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" was made for a cost of $180 million and set in 1920's New York City. The film follows the exploits of Newt Scamander as he tries to retrieve magical creatures which escaped from his baggage. The film stars Eddie Redmayne as Scamander, along with Colin Farrell, Katherine Waterston, and Samantha Morton. "Harry Potter" creator J.K. Rowling has specially written the screenplay for the film and David Yates took the directorial role.