The word prequel feels like a loose term with this movie, though it does take place back in 1926. Fantastic Beasts is more of a movie based on a book within a book that inspired a movie…or…something like that…let’s just refer to it as an expansion to the Potter-verse. Those who read the Potter novels will recall that
Those who read the Potter novels will recall that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander was a required textbook for the students at Hogwarts as a companion to the Care of Magical Creatures class (I remember this because I spent most of my childhood wondering why I couldn’t just trade in my Geometry textbook for a Fantastic Beasts one, but I digress).
The new film covers the life experiences of author Newt Scamander, a socially awkward wizard who specializes in magical creatures and stands up for the most stigmatized of beasts (think of him as wizardry’s version of Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter). We get to view the events that lead up to the writing of his textbook, in a franchise that aims to spread out to 5 movies (is the word quintilogy even a thing yet?). In preparation for the release of this movie, Rowling released a series of articles back in March containing information on magical culture in America (for more information on that, I covered it in
In preparation for the release of this movie, Rowling released a series of articles back in March containing information on magical culture in America (for more information on that, I covered it in this article).
Fans will also tell you that the Potter novels have a rich history of events prior to the start of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (book 1), all of which has the potential to spawn more books or movies…or plays. The 1920’s setting means that Gellert Grindelwald, the evildoer who evil-did before Voldemort did was still reigning supreme. Do you know what else that means? Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter’s old mentor, is expected to show up for an epic showdown with his rival Grindelwald at some point in the
Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter’s old mentor, is expected to show up for an epic showdown with his rival Grindelwald at some point in the Fantastic Beasts series. Grindelwald has already been cast as Johnny Depp, but no word yet on who will play young Dumbledore. Seeing this backstory come to life on screen is a dream come true for many fans, considering that the description in the previous books/movies was so vague.
Grindelwald has already been cast as Johnny Depp, but no word yet on who will play young Dumbledore. Seeing this backstory come to life on screen is a dream come true for many fans, considering that the descriptions in the previous books/movies were so vague.
A few other things that are noteworthy about the Fantastic Beasts movie include the fact that it’s the first screenplay to be written directly by Rowling. She provided the story for all the previous adaptations, including the play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, but she didn’t write any of the screenplays/scripts for the movies and play. Many fans will turn up just to see what a Rowling-written movie will look like.
Rowling was clearly inspired by some of the events and feelings that have surfaced in the media during this past year, and it reflects in the film. The wizarding community in America lives in fear of the non-magic community, and many of the witches and wizards are resentful as a result. The divide is worsened by a zealot who spreads fear against witches in the city of New York. The feeling of being an outcast and feeling unwanted by the community around you is prominent in the
The feeling of being an outcast and feeling unwanted by the community around you is prominent in the Potterverse and is no stranger here. Seeing such events take place in escapist fiction had an engaging, if not de-stressing effect on me as a viewer.
Bringing a British protagonist into an American backdrop was a clever idea, it gives viewers a hint of the old-timey comfort zone that they ‘re so familiar with, just to see it clash with an alternate way of life (a brief argument about non-magic terminology, muggles vs no-maj reflects this).
If you’re already a fan of the Potter franchise, this movie is a fun addition to the story and it sheds more light on the universe’s history. Though it may currently lack the same cultural impact that made every 90’s kid want a badass scar on their forehead, Fantastic Beasts still has a future ahead of it, and it might surprise us in the near future. Don’t say I didn’t warn you, my fellow Potterheads.
By: Michael Gonzalez