Two Harry Potter prequel films are scheduled to exit HBO Max’s streaming catalog next month. These films are set in the early 1900s and explore the complicated and controversial relationship between Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald.
Fantastic Beasts 2 & 3 are leaving HBO Max soon
Release Date: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore will be removed from HBO Max on Monday, June 1, 2026.
Director: David Yates directed both films based on scripts from J. K. Rowling, the creator of the beloved fantasy series, Harry Potter. Rowling also served as a co-producer for the Fantastic Beasts trilogy.
Plot Summary: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is a sequel to 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. It takes place one year after the first film and follows dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald as he escapes custody and gathers pure-bloods to rule over Muggles. Albus Dumbledore sends Newt Scamander to stop him. During his mission, Newt uncovers the truth about Credence Barebone and his link with Dumbledore.
Reception: Released on November 16, 2018, the film couldn’t manage to earn respectable ratings from either critics or general moviegoers. On Rotten Tomatoes, it currently holds a 36% Tomatometer score and 53% Popcornmeter score. On IMDb, it has a 6.5/10 rating based on 332K user ratings. Despite this, it went on to earn $655.7 million on a budget of $200 million.
Cast: The film’s cast featured Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Johnny Depp, Callum Turner, Ezra Miller, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, and Zoë Kravitz, among others.
Second Film Overview: Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore debuted in theaters on April 15, 2022, and received much better reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a Tomatometer score of 46% and a Popcornmeter score of 83%. On IMDb, it has 6.2/10 from over 190K users. Meanwhile, it ended its theatrical run with $407.1 million at the worldwide box office against a $200 million budget.
Third Film Plot: In the third installment, Grindelwald seeks political power to control the wizarding world. However, Dumbledore forms a team led by Newt to prevent that from happening. Meanwhile, unlike the first two entries, where Johnny Depp portrayed Grindelwald, Hannibal actor Mads Mikkelsen portrayed the dark wizard.
