When Warner Brother Studios and J.K. Rowling announced that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was going to be a movie, I was not excited. There were so many other wonderful Harry Potter-esque ideas to make a movie about (Marauder era, anyone?). Why make a brand new Harry Potter world movie about the man who wrote a Hogwarts assigned textbook? For those of you who are unaware, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is about the adventures of Newt Scamander, a British wizard who travels to America with a briefcase full of magical creatures which happens to be set loose in 1920s America. Not thrilled? To tell you the truth, I wasn’t either. I was excited that JK Rowling was penning the screenplay, but still, why couldn’t she focus her energy on Marauder prequels? Why wouldn’t JK Rowling make a Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs movie? Why? That’s what everyone wants!
Then, the trailer hit. My curiosity was piqued. The trailer made the 1920s American Magical world looked spectacular. The world was so different then the British magical world: with the textures, the coloring of the sets, the costumes. But still, there were grumblings from myself and most of the fan community.
Then the final trailer debuted. And-WOW! I was blown away. There were shots of nifflers, intrigue, new magical places, awesome new female characters and the realization hit me: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is meant to add even more depth to the Harry Potter World, not detract from it! Then, a month ago, the final movie posters came out and while they were beautiful, nothing stood out for me, except for this one:
Hanging in the middle of the poster is the symbol for THE DEATHLY HALLOWS! On Percival Graves’ poster. Does Percival Graves have a connection to the deathly hallows? Readers of the Harry Potter series know that the Deathly Hallows were three legendary grail-esque objects that would give the beholder ultimate power. The beloved Albus Dumbledore was obsessed as a youngling with the Deathly Hallows. He and another close friend: Gellert Grindelwald. Gellert Grindelwald was an ambitious young wizard who turned dark and was defeated by Albus Dumbledore and thrown in another wizarding prison: Nurmengard. He was also partly responsible for the death of Ariana Dumbledore (Dumbledore’s younger sister) and the beholder of the Elder Wand, until Dumbledore defeated him. However, the details are fuzzy as Rita Skeeter points out in her imaginary book: The Life and Lies of Albus Dumbledore.
I have so many questions now: Does Percival Graves have a connection with Grindelwald? Is it possible that Percival Graves is Grindelwald? Are we are getting a movie about Albus Dumbledore’s close friend? Is it possible that we could get a look at a young Albus Dumbledore? I sure as heck hope so! That would be amazing and would absolutely below me away!
There are only 29 days until the release of the Fantastic Beasts movie AND the original screenplay in book form on November 18th. Are you excited about Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? What are you most excited for? The Merchandise? (The flocked niffler Funko Pop from Hot Topic is worth the purchase, I am telling you!)? Do you think it’s possible we will get a cameo from Albus Dumbledore? Did Harry Potter and the Cursed Child squash your interest? What new character are you most excited about? Discuss below.
