WARNING: In chance you haven't guessed already, this list is full of spoilers - consider yourselves warned!
Given the success of the “Harry Potter” books and films, it’s no surprise that the latest instalment in the franchise, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” has been dominating the box office since its release on November 18. In this new era of J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world, there are a host of new characters, some incredible magical creatures, and a couple of major plot twists to boot. It’s no wonder fans are hooked!
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If like us, you’re chomping at the bit to find out what will happen to Newt and the gang. We can’t wait until December 2018 (when the next instalment is set to hit theaters), so for now we're going talk about the 15 things we really want to see in the next four instalments of “Fantastic Beasts!”
15 More Gellert Grindelwald
Gellert Grindelwald is already well-known in the HP fandom, but the new “Fantastic Beasts” film is the first time Dumbledore’s archenemy has made it to the big screen for more than a few seconds – OK, so the two minutes he appeared are hardly much to shout about (unless we’re going to talk about that moustache!), but we have a feeling that’s not the last we’ll be seeing of ol’ Gellert.
In the first instalment, we discovered Grindelwald had been evading capture by hiding in plain sight and was only unmasked thanks to Newt and Tina (with a little help from a Swooping Evil). We see Madam Picquery and her MACUSA subordinates taking him away to be executed at the end of the film, but it’s likely that someone that devious won’t be in magical custody for long.
It’s not clear yet exactly what Grindelwald will get up to in the next four films, but we do know the final film is set to take place in 1945, the same year the legendary battle between Grindelwald and Dumbledore takes place. Coincidence? We think not. It’s safe to say we’ll be seeing plenty more of GG before he’s finally beaten!
14 A Young Albus Dumbledore
Director David Yates confirmed earlier this month that Albus Dumbledore will definitely appear in the next instalment of the “Fantastic Beasts” franchise. In fact, casting for the role is already underway! If our calculations are right, Dumbledore should be about 45 years old in 1926 (when the first film is set), meaning we’ll get to see him before he became Hogwarts’ greatest-ever Headmaster, without his trademark silver hair and beard!
There’s been talk amongst fans about how this much-loved character will be portrayed, especially given J.K. Rowling’s revelation after “Deathly Hallows” that Dumbledore was gay and Grindelwald was his first love. It would obviously be a huge deal if Dumbledore was shown to be openly gay, as it would be the first time the Potterverse has ever taken on the topic of homosexuality, but Yates has kept silent on the matter so far.
Yates has confirmed, however, that Dumbledore will share a few scenes with Newt Scamander. We know Dumbledore tried to prevent Newt’s expulsion from Hogwarts, and Newt’s on his way back to England to submit his manuscript, so maybe they’ll meet up for old time’s sake? Or maybe something much darker will draw them together. Something like…
13 Obscurials
The new “Fantastic Beasts” film introduced the concept of Obscurials: wizards whose magic has been suppressed (usually for fear of exposure and punishment) and has turned inward, creating a dark and powerful force known as an Obscurus. Although we’re told Obscurials can’t survive beyond the age of ten and are out of control, both these assumptions are proven to be untrue: Credence Barebone is much older and seems to be partially in control of his powers, and Newt manages to successfully neutralize an Obscurus after separating it from its host.
There are bound to be more revelations in store: the wisp of smoke left behind after Credence’s execution by the MACUSA suggests we haven’t seen the last of him, and there’s a possibility Credence wasn’t the only Obscurial hiding in New York, as his sister Modesty had a wand hidden under her bed and Grindelwald had visions of a young girl with tremendous power.
Perhaps most importantly, there’s a chance Credence isn’t the first Obscurial we’ve encountered… Remember Ariana Dumbledore? The child whose magic “burst out of her” when she couldn’t control it? Maybe Grindelwald got the idea of harnessing Obscurials’ power from seeing Ariana lose control. There’s a chance old wounds will be reopened when Dumbledore finds out what Grindelwald’s up to!
12 The Elder Wand
Although Grindelwald made a brief appearance in the first film, we didn’t see so much as a splinter of the Elder Wand, which – as most HP fans already know by now – as a young man, Gellert stole from an old wandmaker named Gregorovitch. One of the three Deathly Hallows and an immensely powerful magical object, the Elder Wand facilitated Grindelwald’s meteoric rise to power as one of the most evil wizards of all time and made him practically unbeatable, which explains why he’s managed to elude capture for so long.
As Grindelwald was pretending to be the Auror Percival Graves, it’s likely that the wand he was using in the first film was stolen from the real Graves to aid his ongoing disguise. However, it’s a commonly known fact that the Elder Wand knows when its master has been disarmed, even when they’re using another wand. I mean, hello, that’s what saved Harry in the original HP story arc! With that in mind, it’s entirely possible that Tina’s disarming of Grindelwald at the close of the first film made her the new master of the Elder Wand, at least temporarily. We’ll just have to wait and see if she ever gets to use it!
11 Lots Of Magical Creatures
Yes, OK, we’ve seen a fair few magical creatures already in the first “Fantastic Beasts” outing, just as the title promised: Newt’s suitcase was shown to be a secret magical menagerie, full of amazing creatures such as Bowtruckles, an Erumpent, a Demiguise and a Thunderbird. There’s a very good chance that we’ll be seeing more of these creatures in future movies, along with a whole host of new ones to boot… after all, Newt cares deeply for his animals and his primary goal is to teach other wizards to protect them rather than fear or harm them, so it makes sense that they’ll be a focal point in the films.
But what other creatures might Newt come across that are hurt, trapped or frightened and need his help? There’s a good chance that a few firm favorites might make a reappearance. We here at CBR would love to see another Phoenix or a Hippogriff make its way back onto the big screen (the Acromantula, not so much). Species native to America, like the Wampus and Horned Serpent, might also get some screen time. Maybe we’ll even get to see a Crumple-Horned Snorkak, proving Luna Lovegood wasn’t so crazy after all!
10 The Early Years Of Lord Voldemort
As noted above, the first “Fantastic Beasts” film is set in 1926, which is a pretty important year for the magical community. Not only is Grindelwald on the loose and causing mayhem, but another well-known dark wizard has just come into the world… yep, that’s right, Tom Riddle was also born in 1926, meaning the five-film series will span the first 19 years of his life, so we will be very surprised if the Dark Lord doesn’t make an appearance at some point in the new franchise.
Our present knowledge of Voldemort’s history is hazy at best: we know that by the time he left school (aged 18) he had already killed his father, framed his uncle for the murder and opened the Chamber of Secrets, and the Death Eaters were fully formed by the time he came to ask for a job at Hogwarts several years later. We may get a glimpse into vital periods of his life in this new batch of films so that the world of “Fantastic Beasts” can tie in clearly with that of the “Harry Potter” series.
9 Ilvermorny School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry
Ever since we heard that the first “Fantastic Beasts” film would be set in New York, we have been hoping we’d get to glimpse inside the American equivalent of Hogwarts, the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Very little is known about the magical school other than it’s a castle much like Hogwarts with four student “houses” (Wampus, Horned Serpent, Pukwudgie and Thunderbird) that was founded by Irish immigrant Isolt Sayre.
We got to see a bit of school rivalry between international characters in the first instalment, with Queenie dismissing Newt’s claims of Hogwarts’ superiority as “hogwash,” but unfortunately, additional scenes referencing the American wizarding school were cut – if we’re lucky, though, we still might get to see Tina and Queenie singing their school song as part of the bonus scenes on the DVD. If we’re luckier still, we’ll get a much closer look at the place in future films so we can see how it compares to the hallowed halls of Hogwarts!
8 London And Paris In The 1920s
The first “Fantastic Beasts” film is set amongst the smoky streets and brownstone buildings of 1920s New York and is packed full of beautiful little aesthetic and historical details that are easily missed by the untrained eye. For instance, the Steen National Bank where Newt’s little Niffler goes on a stealing spree bears a striking resemblance to the now-defunct New York County National Bank, which was fully operational in the 1920s, and the headquarters of the MACUSA is none other than the Woolworth Building, which was built back in 1913 and remains one of New York’s most iconic buildings.
Given the trouble Warner Bros. has gone to in recreating 1920s' New York in the first movie, it’s fair to assume the same care and attention will go into designing all their historical settings. This is worth getting excited about, as it is rumored that the “Fantastic Beasts” franchise will visit Paris and London, which were both hotspots for the social, cultural and economic upheaval happening during the "Roaring Twenties." Get ready for the wizards’ version of flapper dancers, jazz music, prohibition and the suffragettes, people! This is not a drill!
7 The Truth About Leta Lestrange
Who is Leta Lestrange? The only information fans have been given so far is that she and Newt were once close friends, they attended Hogwarts together, and Newt isn’t in contact with her anymore. He does, however, keep a framed picture of her in his suitcase. Pining much? Although Queenie manages to glean a few handy hints using her legilimency – revealing that Leta is a “taker,” suggesting she took advantage of Newt – Newt is reluctant to discuss her and so shuts down Queenie’s line of questioning pretty quickly.
We here at CBR need answers. If Newt was expelled from Hogwarts for “endangering human life,” then was it Leta’s life on the line, or was he just covering for something she had done (or they had done together)? As Leta is a descendant of the pure-blood family, the Lestranges (the same family Bellatrix Lestrange marries into), it’s possible that she’d be willing to experiment with dark magic. They might alternatively have bonded over a dangerous magical creature, and when it was discovered, Newt took the rap for his girl. Either way, it’s likely her presence – or her absence – will become significant later in the story.
6 Seraphina Picquery Doing Something Right For A Change
If the first “Fantastic Beasts” film is anything to go by, the Madame President of MACUSA is going to end up being just as troublesome as her British equivalents in the UK’s Ministry of Magic. In the short period she spent on the screen, we saw Picquery deny the existence of Obscurials in America despite clear evidence to the contrary, condemn two innocent people to death, and choose to execute a troubled young man rather than try to do the right thing. Her character currently bears a startling resemblance to Cornelius Fudge from the “Harry Potter” series, who refused to believe that Voldemort was back, villainized Harry and Dumbledore for telling the truth, and had Barty Crouch Jr. kissed by a Dementor before he could testify.
However, we’re still kind of hoping Madame Picquery will manage to do the right thing at least once before she’s sacked, killed or otherwise taken down (because let’s face it, politicians really don’t have the most reassuring record in this franchise). Maybe she’ll reach out to Dumbledore and ask for his help after Grindelwald’s escape, or actually trust Tina the next time she says something’s up.
5 Wizards Fighting In World War II
We’ve only ever been treated to one war in the “Harry Potter” series, and it took place in a school… and it was awesome! However, there’s a much bigger battle on the horizon in “Fantastic Beasts,” one which will end in the same year that Dumbledore finally beats Grindelwald: World War II.
We think it’s no coincidence that Grindelwald’s rise to power is happening at the same time that Adolf Hitler and the Nazis are gaining momentum (their goals aren’t that dissimilar if you think about it), and it’s therefore very likely that the No-Maj and wizarding wars will coincide at some point. We might even get to see wizards fighting in World War II! The first film has already alluded to wizards fighting as part of World War I – when Jacob asks if Newt fought in the war, he refers to his work with dragons “on the Eastern front,” and it’s later revealed that Newt’s brother Theseus is a “war hero.” Will we get to see dragons taking down war planes and wizard soldiers taking on bombs, guns and tanks armed only with their wands? The CBR team has all its fingers (and toes!) crossed for this one!
4 Henry Shaw Sr. Stirring Up Trouble The Old-Fashioned Way
The first “Fantastic Beasts” film introduces Henry Shaw Sr., the head of a powerful family of No-Majs with ties to the media and politics who learns of the existence of magic after witnessing an Obscurial murder his eldest son. As the film ends soon after this event, it isn’t clear yet what role Henry Shaw Sr. will play in the remaining four films. Will he remember what happened the night Henry Shaw Jr. died? Will he expose the magical community? Will he try to seek vengeance against Credence?
CBR is guessing that Henry Shaw Sr. will either get his memory back or figure out what happened retrospectively. He’ll then likely use his considerable resources and influence in the No-Maj community to rile up fear and hatred of the wizarding population in retribution for the death of his eldest son. Although most people will think he’s nuts – they’ve had all memory of the event wiped, after all – Shaw’s newfound fanaticism could help groups similar to the Second Salemers gain traction in the community and gain more followers than ever. This could mean real trouble for the wizards of New York!
3 Newt’s Romance With Tina Goldstein
As most hardcore HP fans already know, Tina Goldstein will one day become Porpentina Scamander, the wife of everyone’s favorite magizoologist, Newt Scamander. As their relationship is still in the very early stages (and Newt is clearly still in love with his childhood sweetheart, Leta Lestrange) at the end of the first instalment, it’ll be interesting to see how this romance blossoms over the next four films. Will Newt return to America or will Tina decide she’d rather be capturing magical creatures with her floppy-haired British beau and go after him?
As well as finding out what happens in her future, it’ll also be interesting to learn more about her character’s past: for instance, we know that she was originally demoted from being an Auror after she used magic against Mary Lou Barebone (the cruel and fanatical mistress of the Second Salemers orphanage), but why did she feel so compelled to protect Credence in the first place? What is the significance of the memories she sees in MACUSA’s euthanasia room? Is Queenie the only family she has, and if so, why? It’s likely we’ll find out more about her life as the series progresses.
2 The Real Percival Graves
Another spoiler warning here, folks: the big reveal at the end of the first “Fantastic Beasts” film was that the man we all thought was Percival Graves was actually Grindelwald in disguise, but this major plot twist raises more questions than it answers. How exactly did Grindelwald manage to go so long without detection? Was Graves already an Auror at MACUSA when Grindelwald hijacked his identity? If so, how was he captured, and where is he now?
If previous HP canon is anything to go by, the most likely answer is that Graves is still alive and being held prisoner by Grindelwald, similar to how Barty Crouch Jr. imprisoned the real Mad-Eye Moody in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.” This would enable Grindelwald to keep making Polyjuice Potion (a magical potion that allows the drinker to take on another person’s form) and interrogate Graves whenever he needed information to maintain his cover.
If that’s the case, then the real Percival Graves’ fate is far from certain. Will he be able to escape from wherever he’s being held? Might he make an appearance in future films, but as himself this time? We can’t wait to find out!
1 Jacob Getting His Memory Back
It’s pretty hard not to like Jacob Kowalski, the No-Maj baker who accidentally stumbles into the magical world after trying to take out a loan at his local bank. He’s kind-hearted, funny and has a healthy appreciation of good food, which is always a winning combination! Jacob quickly becomes one of the gang, helping to capture several escaped magical creatures (including an amorous Erumpent!), aiding a full-on prison break from MACUSA headquarters, and developing an unlikely but heart-warming relationship with Queenie Goldstein.
Of course, contact with No-Majs is strictly forbidden by American wizarding law as it’s considered a breach of the Statute of Secrecy, so Newt and co. are ordered to make him forget the whole thing. Jacob, along with the rest of New York, gets his memory wiped by Swooping Evil venom dispersed in the rain… but will he ever get his memories back?
There are already signs at the end of “Fantastic Beasts” that Jacob’s memories are resurfacing: he makes patisserie versions of Newt’s magical creatures in his new bakery, and when Queenie arrives, he touches his neck (where the Murtlap bit him) and smiles. We reckon there’s a good chance his memory might be restored completely in future films!
Did CBR’s Specialis Revelio miss out anything big? Let us know in the comments!