All the Things You Didn’t Know (But Should) About Fantastic Beasts
Potterheads everywhere have a lot of reasons to be happy this year. We all rejoiced when The Cursed Child was released, and again when it was announced that the beloved magical creatures field guide Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander would be made into a movie. And not just one movie — five movies. While that may seem a little nuts for one small textbook, you have to remember that the series will take place over the course of 19 years (1926-1945). And in the movies, we’ll get to learn about not only Newt’s life but more of Dumbledore and Grindelwald’s background. The series will finish with Voldemort’s rise to power, and we’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at the wizarding community’s involvement in major events in the USA. Whew! That’s a lot to take in. It’s okay if you need a moment.
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Are they gone? Good. Here’s the most magically wonderful things (both behind-the-scenes and on screen) about Fantastic Beasts that you should know.
If you look closely in Prisoner of Azkaban, you can see the name “Newt Scamander” on the Marauder’s Map. Newt would have been in his 90s while Harry and his pals were in school at Hogwarts, so it’s entirely possible that Newt was there visiting his old friend Dumbledore.
Newt’s yellow and gray scarf at the end of the movie indicates he was in Hufflepuff before he was expelled from Hogwarts.
Eddie Redmayne originally auditioned for the role of young Tom Riddle. He was turned down after reading one line. Aww! But he was the first choice to play Newt and he didn’t have to audition. He also got to help with the other casting decisions.
When Newt shows Jacob his collection of magical creatures for the first time, you can spot a grindylow floating in a bubble of water. Harry and his friends learn about grindylows in their third year at Hogwarts, and you can see them in Goblet of Fire.
Frank is a thunderbird, the namesake of one of the Ilvermorny Houses.
The first clue we get as to Percival Graves’ true identity is when he gives Credence the pendant. If you look closely, you’ll see that it’s the Deathly Hallows symbol. And we already know all about Grindelwald’s involvement with the Hallows.
MAJOR MAJOR MAJOR SPOILER ALERT: This next fact was not revealed in the movie, so if you don’t want to know anything about the future Fantastic Beasts movies, you can stop here.
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Tina Goldstein is short for Porpentina Goldstein. In the “About the Author” section of the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them textbook, it says that Newt lives in Dorset with his wife Porpentina and their pet Kneazles: Hoppy, Milly, and Mauler. Eeeeeeee! NEWT AND TINA ARE GOING TO GET MARRIED?!?!?! Unfortunately, we don’t know yet which movie this will happen in, or whether we will get to see it onscreen at all. We can only hope!
What is your favorite piece of trivia from JK Rowling’s wizarding world? Tell us @BritandCo!
(Photos via Warner Bros)
