Is the Upcoming ‘Harry Potter’ Installment Canon?

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(L to R) Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) in class

Credit: Warner Bros.

With the recent news that Warner Bros. could be planning on canceling the Fantastic Beasts series, many Harry Potter fans are probably wondering whether those films are even canon anymore. Perhaps they are for the time being, but maybe Warner Bros. will somehow find a way to remove them from canon, or even just ignore them altogether.

Well, at least the main Harry Potter series is safe, though it does beg to question whether a future movie — which, let’s face it, is probably inevitable — will be canon with those films. Is there a Harry Potter reboot on the horizon, or will the Wizarding World be left alone where the silver screen is concerned? Here’s hoping for the latter, obviously, but only time will tell.

Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Credit: Warner Bros.

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However, there is one major Harry Potter installment just around the corner — three months away, to be exact. It will hopefully distract Harry Potter fans from everything that’s currently going on with the franchise, but just like the three Fantastic Beasts movies, many fans are wondering if the next entry in the Wizarding World is canon.

Hogwarts Legacy (2022) is an immersive open-world game set in the Wizarding World, and it’s due to hit shelves on February 10 next year. It takes place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the late 1800s, and tells a unique story involving an entirely new set of characters. While JK Rowling hasn’t been directly involved, she has been utilized to some degree.

Student Flying Hippogriff in Hogwarts Legacy
Credit: Warner Bros.

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But is Hogwarts Legacy canon with the films? Or even the books, for that matter? As per the the official website for the game, the following answer can be found on its Frequently Asked Questions page:

While Portkey Games are not direct adaptations of the books and films, the games are firmly rooted in the magical universe of the Wizarding World. While remaining true to JK Rowling’s original vision, Portkey game developers chart new territory by creating fresh ways for fans to immerse themselves in the Wizarding World.

The Grand Staircase in Hogwarts Legacy
Credit: Warner Bros.

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So, it sounds like Hogwarts Legacy isn’t canon with the Harry Potter films or the books, and as such, it’s safe to say that it definitely isn’t related to the Fantastic Beasts series. With that said, the game will no doubt adhere to the Wizarding World established in the books and films.

But whether canon or not, there’s very little a certain minority of fans can do to boycott the game. The future of the Wizarding World in theaters might be up in the air, but the franchise as a whole isn’t going anywhere in a hurry. In the meantime, it remains to be seen what will happen with Fantastic Beasts, but the last two hardly impressed critically or financially.

The Wand shop in Hogwarts Legacy
Credit: Warner Bros.

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As per the official Hogwarts Legacy website, here’s the synopsis for the game:

Hogwarts Legacy is an immersive, open-world action RPG set in the world first introduced in the Harry Potter books. For the first time, experience Hogwarts in the 1800s. Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart. Now you can take control of the action and be at the center of your own adventure in the wizarding world. Your legacy is what you make of it.

Brewing potions in Hogwarts Legacy
Credit: Warner Bros.

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Hogwarts Legacy is one of many upcoming open-world titles based on major blockbuster franchises. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora (TBA) is due out some time next year (possibly 2024), and there’s even an open-world Star Wars video game in the works.

Hogwarts Legacy will be released on February 10, 2023, on all major gaming platforms — Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The Nintendo Switch version release date, however, “will be revealed soon” according to Portkey Games.

Dragon encounter in Hogwarts Legacy
Credit: Warner Bros.

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Do you think Hogwarts Legacy will make a great addition to the Wizarding World? Let us know in the comments down below!

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