Weekend Box Office: Grindelwald's spells are strong, but J.K. Rowling's powers seem to be dimming
Surprise: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald drew hordes of Hufflepuffs to the theater this past weekend, raking in $62.2 million domestically and $191 million from 79 overseas markets. That puts it at a worldwide launch of $253.2 million, which is impressive but not untouched by the film’s myriad controversies and generally tepid reviews (our own included). The prequel debuted at roughly $12 million less than its predecessor, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, in the U.S., and, as The Week points out, had the worst U.S. opening weekend of any Harry Potter film ever. One imagines the producers will adopt a sharper eye when casting its inevitable follow-up, which we’re really hoping will be called Fantastic Beasts: Dumbledore Fucks.