Fantastic Beasts is a series of five movies based on the work Fantastic beasts and where to find them by JK Rowling. The book has served Warner Bros as spin off of the harry potter universe to continue his audiovisual legacy and expand his cinematographic universe that was so successful with the original work of the young magician. For now, Warner Bros. has already produced three of the five films they had initially planned. In the following lines we will talk about everything you need to know about this saga. From how it came about to what future plans the production company has, as there are strong rumors indicating that the saga could have been canceled prematurely, something that is not surprising if we take into account all the controversy that has surrounded this franchise.
A work that crosses the limits of fiction
El original book, Fantastic beasts and where to find them, is a compendium written by Newt Scamander himself (in fiction, of course). The acclaimed magizoologist of the Harry Potter universe wrote it as a commission for Augustus Worme, editor-in-chief of the publishing house. Obscurus Books, who asked him in 1918 to create a guide authoritative about magical creatures from all corners of the planet.
By then, Newt Scamander he was just a low-ranking employee at the Ministry of Magic who found it very tempting to take a paid vacation to gather information and create the first Pokédex of the magical world. Newt's life parallels that of Charles Darwin, to whom they proposed a similar adventure aboard the HMS Beagle. This ship was to go on a scientific expedition around the world measuring ocean currents and mapping the coastline. During this two-year odyssey that stretched to the age of five, the young Charles worked as a naturalist collecting specimens to send back to Cambridge, studying geology and plotting his theories of evolutionary origin. And it is that the great trips unleash the best adventures, both in the real universe and in the magical one.
Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them first hit bookstores in muggles - sorry, it is said non-magicians— in 2001, although it already had 52 editions in the wizarding world since its first printing in 1927. For copyright reasons, this book would be published under the authorship of JK Rowling, who donated all rights to the charity Comic Relief, which focuses on projects to promote social justice and help stop poverty.
What does it have to do with Harry Potter?
What makes that Fantastic Animals and Where to Find Them be so loved? Well, it is not only because it is the work of Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente of the magical world, but it also has a touch of Harry Potter himself. The edition that reached us was a facsimile of the book that Harry would have to take the Care of Magical Creatures subject at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He is scribbled, defaced and annotated by Harry, Ron and Hermione, as well as carrying a foreword by Albus Dumbledore himself. A true collector's gem for lovers of this universe with so much magic.
On the other hand, when returning tobring the world of Harry Potter to the movies, the producers of the franchise decided that this book gave a lot of scope to further develop the entire story. lore of this magical universe, being a fantastic opportunity to return to theaters with a prequel. This is how this saga went from a small book for fans to become a whole new saga of movies full of adventures and mysteries to discover within the universe we met with Harry Potter.
What films are part of the pentalogy of Fantastic Animals?
This new saga of films also integrated into Wizarding World began in 2016. It is expected to be a pentalogy. To date, a total of three feature films have come out, while the remaining two have neither a confirmed date nor an assigned title.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
The first installment of this film adaptation of JK Rowling's little book came in 2016. The work was scripted by the British writer and directed by David Yates. It consists of a prequel and in turn spin off from Harry Potter. At first, it was planned with the possibility of starting a series, but this was not confirmed until the film did well at the box office.
Fantastic Beasts takes us to 1926, where Newt Scamander he's wrapping up a trip around the world documenting his creatures, just like Darwin did in the real world. Upon his arrival in New York, Scamander takes with him a curious suitcase full of magical creatures. It is this suitcase that will end up getting him into trouble, because in an oversight, the protagonist stays listening to Mary Lou Barebone and a Niffler escapes from the suitcase. The researcher manages to recover the specimen, but Jacob Kowalski, a 'non-magical' citizen ends up seeing him. In a hurry, Newt Scamander tries to remove him from the area to erase his memory. But unfortunately for his, Kowalski beats him up and runs off with his suitcase.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
This film takes place months after what happened in Fantastic Animals and Where to Find Them. gellert Grindelwald, the dark wizard, is being transported to Europe to undergo trial for his crimes. During the trip to London he manages to escape thanks to the help of Abernathy, a former employee of the Magical Congress of the United States.
Newt Scamander gets his foreign travel ban revoked at the British Ministry of Magic (although it was understandable after the one he formed the last time he was allowed to cross the border). There he meets Leta Lestrange, a former classmate at Hogwarts School. Newt is again given permission to travel on the condition that he finds Credence Barebone, a obscurial very dangerous.
Dumbledore's Secrets (2022)
In 2022, according to the original rundown, the fourth installment of Fantastic Animals should have arrived. However, the pandemic delayed the studio's forecasts, which had to cancel filming in 2020. Later, another important change would take place that would further delay this third installment.
This movie is the eleventh part of Wizarding World. The pandemic was not the only impediment that filming had. Also the controversy in which he was involved Johnny Depp encouraged the studio to do without the actor, who was replaced by Mads Mikkelsen to play Grindelwald, despite the fact that fans were opposed in band considering that this character was one of the best performances of Depp's career.
Regarding the plot, this installment finally focuses on the inevitable, that is, on what Albus Dumbledore knows about the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. To stop him, Dumbledore will ask the magizoologist Newt Scamander for help. This is how they will come to lead their own group of witches and wizards. On the other hand, Grindelwald will also have his own legion of followers.
Characters of the saga
In the absence of the pentalogy being completed in theaters, these are some of the most important characters who have been present in the movies:
- Newt Scamander: played by Eddie Redmayne, and is the original author—in fiction—of the book itself Fantastic beasts and where to find them. He is a British-born magizoologist, very eccentric and rather quiet.
- Porpentine: aka 'Tina' Goldstein. She is a former aurora who worked for MACUSA, that is, the Magical Congress of the American Sole Society.
- Grindelwald: also known as 'the dark magician', the most feared until the arrival of the nameless. This character was played by Johnny Depp and Mads Mikkelsen from the third film.
- Jacob Kowalsky: a muggle who ends up discovering the secrets of the wizarding community after his encounter with Newt Scamander. The role is played by comedian Dan Fogler.
- Percival Graves: played by Colin Farrell, he is the director of MACUSA and is the one who orders to find Newt Scamander after his incident with magical creatures.
- Queenie goldstein: brought to life by Alison Sudol. She is about Porpentina's sister (they live together, in addition to being an employee of Congress and capable of "reading minds".
- Albus Dumbledore: The one who will end up being the director of Hogwarts is played by Jude Law.
- Splashback Barebone: The controversial actor Ezra Miller has been in charge of interpreting it so far (ahem). Credence is the adopted son of Mary Lou Barebone.
- Mary Lou Barbone: leader of the Philanthropic Society of New Salem (an extremist group that seeks the elimination of wizards and witches), is played by Samantha Morton.
- Seraphina Picquery: Carmen Ejogo gives life to the President of the Unique Magic Congress of the American Society (MACUSA).
Is Fantastic Beasts 4 in danger?
Mixing politics and art does not usually give good results. And although we have no doubt that Warner removed Depp from his production for minimizing the controversy, the truth is that they have gotten into a quagmire from which it is already difficult to get out.
JK Rowling and her comments don't help
The Fantastic Beasts saga has always been full of controversy. First, fans accused JK Rowling of making transphobic comments. The Internet has never forgiven the British author, for which reason already at the beginning, this film saga was born with some rejection by a sector of fans.
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's soap opera
The decision to remove Johnny Depp of the third installment caused many fans to put the cross to the franchise and not go to see the movie at the cinema. After the end of the trial of the year, Johnny Depp against Amber Heard, this error has become more evident, because although the two have left the meeting badly off, the truth is that the actor has been acquitted of practically all the charges of which I accused him. Therefore, Warner has sinned a little by having made a 'Minority Report', since Heard's complaint has caused damages that cannot be resolved with money, as is the case of having dynamited her character, replacing him with Mads Mikkelsen.
The Chinese help even less
In addition, the third installment has had to be censored in China, since the homosexuality of Dumbledore and Grindelwald has not passed the filter of the Asian giant. These types of issues are quite controversial, since it is not the first time that a production has been blocked by China and has seen its revenue forecasts shattered.
All this greatly complicates the future of this saga with a mentioned third part that also has not collected at the box office all that was expected. The middle Variety He came to point out that the studio had ruled out the idea of starting a new project for 2023 and could therefore be the end of the saga, however, senior officials at Warner Bros. have already taken it upon themselves to rule out this possibility, ensuring that there is a franchise. for a while. And it is that despite all the above, the product generates much more money than we think (it is not just a matter of billboard) and that must continue to be exploited.