Fantastical news, everyone! J.K. Rowling has officially confirmed that the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie will, indeed, be a trilogy. How satisfying!
Any Wizarding World cravings we’ve been harboring since the Hogwarts Express last left the station are about to be fed a full three-course meal. However, the dining experience won’t exactly be in the same Great Hall that we all know and love.
Instead, we’ll be exploring much farther corners of Rowling’s imagination and delving deep into the routes of the World she created for HP. So far, we know the movies have been written by Rowling herself – her screenwriting debut. And, the story is based on a book she published way back in 2001, for charity. It’s set to follow the life of the character Rowling embodied when writing it: Newt Scamander. Impressively, Rowling is also co-producing these films with David Heyman, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram.
For anyone unfamiliar with the work, Fantastic Beasts is essentially a mock ‘Magiczoology’ textbook. It details the other otherworldly creatures that occasionally popped up in the Potter-verse. From the tiny pixies and the fairies to the giant trolls and the, well, giants, Rowling (as Scamander) profoundly outlined their contribution to the world of her best-selling novels.
In order for this to work in the medium of film and a stand-alone tale, Rowling had to construct a backstory and enthralling plot for our young Mr. Scamander. And, here’s a list of 5 things, so far, that we think we can expect from the upcoming trilogy:
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Yet another star-studded cast.
Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne will be taking on the role of Scamander, which is in itself a huge deal. Kathrine Waterston will be his supporting lead as Porpentina Goldstein from the book. Other notable names include academy award winner Jon Voight, Ron Perlman, Ezra Miller, Colin Farrell, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Samantha Morton, Faith Woo-Balgrove and Carmen Ejogo.
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New schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry?
Recently, on Pottermore, J.K. Rowling revealed four new Wizarding schools – one of which fans speculate will make an appearance in Fantastic Beasts. I mean, granted, we’ve known since The Goblet of Fire that other schools existed given the Triwizard Tournament. However, the fact Rowling has been focussed on fleshing out and diversifying, recently, bodes well for a more global feel in the films to come.
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New York
Rowling says the first installment is set in New York in 1926. This is exciting as we will be in a new region of the Wizarding World that, like the muggle world, is governed by different politics. Apparently, Scamander was only meant to stop-off here. But, the premise of the movie is that the creatures in his magical briefcase escape and the wizarding/muggle world’s interaction/reaction in such tender political times.
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More Creatures
As Scamander is documenting new beasts and beings alike, expect to see a lot of the creatures detailed in Rowling’s book in action for the first time. And, awe at the splendor of her ever-reaching imagination.
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General Wizarding World Expansion
In all, there will just be more information available on Rowling’s fictional world, much of which is published on Pottermore and document in companion books such as Fantastic Beasts; however, it’s always exciting to see the politics, the belief systems, and nature, in motion. As Newt Scamander is an expeditionist, we’ll surely tag along and explore much farther corners of the Potter-verse. In fact, if the last Potter book/film was anything to go by (that nomad feel), it’s probably an indication of how much Rowling has desired to open more doors for us, which just wasn’t necessary for HP.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be in cinemas November 18th, this year.
