Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an upcoming trilogy of films based on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, one of the companion books to J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.[5] Rowling will make her screen writing debut with this film.[6] David Heyman, who produced the Harry Potter films, will be returning as producer for Fantastic Beasts.[2]
J.K. Rowling has said that the film will start in New York, around 1920, seventy years before the Harry Potter series, and will feature Newton Scamander as a main character. It is unclear whether the rest of the film will be set in New York.[5] Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them tells us that Scamander had been travelling the world in research of magical creatures since 1918, culminating with the publication of his masterpiece in 1927.
Warner Bros approached Rowling about using the book for a film, from which she pitched "an idea that [she] couldn't dislodge".[5] Upon returning to Harry Potter for the first time since 2007, Rowling commented: "I always said that I would only revisit the wizarding world if I had an idea that I was really excited about and this is it."[5] She stated that the idea of seeing Scamander "realised by another author was difficult," hence her decision to be the film's screenwriter. As of the film's announcement, there is no set date for when it might go into production.[6]
On March 29, 2014, The New York Times reported the adaptation of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be a trilogy.[7]
On May 13, 2014, it was announced the first film will be released on November 18, 2016.[3]
On 6 October, 2014, J. K. Rowling posted the cryptic message "Cry, foe! Run amok! Fa awry! My wand won’t tolerate this nonsense." on her official Twitter account.[8] She confirmed the following day that this message was a riddle, and the solution, while not part of the script, was the first sentence of a synopsis of Newt Scamander's story.[9] The anagram was solved later that day, with Rowling confirming the solution of "Newt Scamander only meant to stay in New York for a few hours."[10]
Synopsis
The film's first official synopsis was released on 11 December, 2015:[11]
| “ | "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident… were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt's fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds. | ” |
The story revolves around Newt Scamander's arrival at the Magical Congress of the United States of America, for a meeting with an important official. Central to the story and this meeting is a magically expanded briefcase which houses a number of dangerous creatures and their habitats. When the creatures escape from the briefcase, it sends the American wizarding authorities after Newt, and it threatens even further the state of magical and non-magical relations within the city and the country at large, which is already in a dangerous place, due to the threatening presence of the violent and fanatical extremist group that call themselves, in short, "The Second Salemers". The story tells of what effect this devastating mistake has on the state of wizard/No-Maj (the American term for a non-magical person) relations in New York City's community of wizards and witches in 1926, the effort to correct the mistake, and the horrors of the resultant increase in violence, fear, and tension felt between magical and non-magical peoples.
Characters
The following is a list of characters confirmed to appear in the first film of the trilogy, most of whom are completely original to this work and never mentioned anywhere else in canon before.
- Newton Scamander (played by Eddie Redmayne[12]) – Magizoologist, author of the book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. British Ministry of Magic employee, Porpentina's love interest. Described as eccentric and introverted.
- Porpentina "Tina" Goldstein (played by Katherine Waterston[13]) – "An ambitious worker at the Magical Congress of the United States of America (aka MACUSA, the U.S. version of the Ministry of Magic) who meets Newt. Tina is relegated to an office well below her abilities after she stood up for the wrong person. She longs to fight for what's right."[14]
- Queenie Goldstein (played by Alison Sudol[15]) – "Tina's younger sister and roommate, a big-hearted free-spirit 'legilimens' who can read minds." Described as a bombshell. [14]
- Jacob Kowalski (played by Dan Fogler[16]) – "An optimistic No-Maj (aka Muggle) factory worker/aspiring baker who gets introduced to the wizarding world when he meets Newt." He begins the film post break-up. [14]
- Mary Lou (played by Samantha Morton[17]) – "The narrow-minded leader of the New Salem Philanthropic Society (the NSPS, or the Second Salemers,) a group looking to expose and kill all wizards and witches."[14]
- Credence[17] (played by Ezra Miller[17]) – "Mary Lou's troubled adopted son", reportedly plays a big role in the wizarding world canon. [14]
- Modesty (played by Faith Wood-Blagrove) – A "haunted young girl" with "an ability to see deep into people"[18][19]
- Percival Graves[20] (played by Colin Farrell) – "A powerful auror and the right-hand man of the American wizarding community's president." Set with the task of tracking down Newt. [14]
- Henry Shaw Sr. (played by Jon Voight[20]) – An American senator who holds a rally picketed by the New Salem Philanthropic Society.[21][22]
- Chastity (played by Jenn Murray)[17]
- Gemma Chan
- Lt. M. Young (played by Matthew Roberts)[23]
- Gilbert Bingley (played by Peter Breitmayer)[24]
- Seraphina (played by Carmen Ejogo)[20]
- Gnarlack (played by Ron Perlman)[20], a gangster who owns a speakeasy nightclub, does business with Newt.
Videos
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Gallery
Trivia
- At the origin, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was supposed to be a faux documentary about Newton Scamander.[25]
- Jacob Kowalski is the Harry Potter franchise’s first Muggle main character.[26]
Notes and references
- ↑ http://www.hypable.com/2014/10/15/fantastic-beasts-director-david-yates/
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 David Heyman confirms he will produce "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" film - SnitchSeeker.com
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The world of Harry Potter returns to the big screen as WB's FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM drops Nov. 18, 2016. by Exhibitor Relations on Twitter
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Warner Bros. Details Strategic Content Plans at Time Warner Investor Conference - TimeWarner.com
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "JK Rowling to write new Harry Potter-inspired film series based on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" at The Independent
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "JK Rowling to pen Harry Potter spin-off film" at BBC News
- ↑ Warner’s C.E.O. Is Bullish on the Big Screen at The New York Times
- ↑ Cry, foe! Run amok! Fa awry! My wand won’t tolerate this nonsense. by J.K. Rowling on Twitter
- ↑ #helpfulhint The solution is the first sentence of a synopsis of Newt's story. It isn't part of the script, but sets the scene. by J.K. Rowling on Twitter
- ↑ .@EmyBemy2 YES!!!!!!!!!!!! People, we have a winner! by J.K. Rowling on Twitter
- ↑ "First 'Fantastic Beasts' trailer arriving December 15, first synopsis released!" at Hypable
- ↑ Eddie Redmayne officially joins Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Will Robinson on Entertainment Weekly
- ↑ 'Harry Potter' Spinoff 'Fantastic Beasts' Finds Its Female Lead at The Hollywood Reporter
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 "'Fantastic Beasts' characters revealed: An auror, a 'Second Salemer,' and more" at Hypable
- ↑ "'Harry Potter" Spinoff 'Fantastic Beasts' to Star Singer-Songwriter Alison Sudol" at The Hollywood Reporter
- ↑ "'Fantastic Beasts': 'Secret and Lies' Actor Dan Fogler Joins 'Harry Potter' Spinoff" at Variety.com
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 "Filming Gets Underway on «Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them»" at BusinessWire
- ↑ Casting call for 'Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them' - warnerbros.co.uk
- ↑ Fantastic Beasts actress chosen from open auditions
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 "Announcement Trailer for 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' to Be Unveiled Worldwide on December 15th" at BusinessWire
- ↑ "Video: Scene Being Filmed (UPDATED)" from FantasticBeastsMovies.com
- ↑ "Pottermore Set Report #3" from FantasticBeastsMovies.com
- ↑ ""Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" Roundup: Goodbye, Liverpool?" at Mugglenet
- ↑ ""Fantastic Beasts" Roundup: Alison Sudol Meets Dumbledore, plus J.K. Rowling On Set!"" at Mugglenet
- ↑ Fantastic Beasts plot unveiled: Here's what the movie's about
- ↑ ‘Fantastic Beasts’ characters revealed: An auror, a ‘Second Salemer,’ and more
| J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philosopher's Stone | book | film | games | film soundtrack | game soundtrack |
| Chamber of Secrets | book | film | games | film soundtrack | game soundtrack |
| Prisoner of Azkaban | book | film | games | film soundtrack | game soundtrack |
| Goblet of Fire | book | film | games | film soundtrack | game soundtrack |
| Order of the Phoenix | book | film | game | film soundtrack | game soundtrack |
| Half-Blood Prince | book | film | games | film soundtrack | game soundtrack |
| Deathly Hallows | book | film 1 | games 1 | film soundtrack 1 | game soundtrack 1 |
| film 2 | games 2 | film soundtrack 2 | game soundtrack 2 | ||
| Cursed Child | script | play | |||
| Fantastic Beasts film series | |||||
| Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | book | screenplay | film | game | film soundtrack |
| The Crimes of Grindelwald | screenplay | film | film soundtrack | ||
| The Secrets of Dumbledore | screenplay | film | film soundtrack | ||