7 Underrated Scenes I Loved from Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald

Warner Bros. Pictures

Fantastic Beasts and The Crimes of Grindelwald was met with division within the fanbase of J.K. Rowling's wizarding world. The spin-off has three more movies to go with so much more story and character development to explore. While there are understandably reasons to disagree or question big changes to the series, there is also still plenty more meaningful, charming, and shocking moments to love.

Here are seven underrated scenes to love about the Fantastic Beasts sequel. This post contains spoilers, so don't move forward reading this post if you haven't seen the film. Otherwise I hope you enjoy the post! 

Which scenes do you love from this latest adventure in the wizarding world? Feel free to share in the comments below!

Spoiler-Filled Gif Reactions to Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Photo Credit: Warner Bros Pictures

After waiting two years for Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them's highly anticipated sequel, the latest installment leaves us with so much to wrap our heads around. Seriously, there's so many details and moments that take Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald to the next level, it's difficult to talk about the movie without spoiling everything. Even though it's important to #ProtectTheSecrets with fans who haven't seen it yet, I've made a safe space for all the feels that this movie conjures. Because there is a cauldron's worth and thensome. Beware - behind the cut there are a ton of spoilers! Here are all of my reactions to some of the biggest scenes from J.K. Rowlings and Warner Bros's latest installment! What did you think of some of these scenes? Feel free to share in the comments below!

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald Character Posters Offers New Plot Hints

Photo Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

The countdown for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald has steadily been ticking away this year. Since its initial trailer release and taking over San Diego Comic Con, Newt's next set of adventures have given us a closer look at what we can expect when he crosses paths with Dumbledore and Grindelwald once more.

Now, we have new character posters that offer bigger insights and questions about new and familiar faces that will join or pose a threat to the wizarding world as we know it. Each character poster includes not only an unique symbol but a special tagline that connects them to a bigger part of the story. Take a look at Newt Scamander, Tina Goldstein, Jacob Kowalski, Albus Dumbledore, and more behind the cut. 

Beware this post contains spoilers about the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts series so far including the next film Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald!

Official Teaser for “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” Has Been Released!

Friends, it's time to return to Fantastic Beasts to see familiar faces and go on new adventures! Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald has finally been revealed with the official teaser trailer!

Eddie Redmayne returns as the loveable, nurturing magizoologist Newt Scamander in the second of projected five films. Writer J.K. Rowling pens the screenplay where the Hufflepuff is reuniting with a familiar face Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) and a new foe Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp).

#WandsReady, witches and wizards? Let's take a look!


From the official press release:

Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” is the second of five all new adventures in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World™.

At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.

In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.

The film features an ensemble cast led by Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, with Jude Law and Johnny Depp. The cast also includes, Zoë Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, Kevin Guthrie, Carmen Ejogo, and Poppy Corby-Tuech.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is directed by David Yates, from a screenplay by J.K. Rowling. The film is produced by David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram. This epic sequel is slated for release on November 16, 2018! 

  What were your favorite parts of the teaser? Are you excited for the Crimes of Grindelwald?

First Look at Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald

Photo: Warner Bros Pictures

Next stop Paris! On November 11th, 2018, Newt Scamander will be jettisoning around the world on his next adventure for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. It seems like yesterday when Warner Bros. treated Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts fans to a glimpse of the cast in a promotional shot. And, now we have our first look of the sequel!'

What we know so far:

At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.

In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is the second of five all new adventures in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World. Here are the first set of images for the next movie!

Photo: Warner Bros Pictures

Newt Scamander is reunited with Tina Goldstein (Katharine Waterstone). Both are looking over their shoulders with concern with their hands on a set of doors marked by numbers. What's chasing them?

Photo: Warner Bros Pictures

A younger Albus Dumbledore, played by Jude Law, sits in his office with an unknown character staring on. Dumbledore seems impressed and curious by the person he's talking to, but who is it?

Photo: Warner Bros Pictures

Gellert Grindelwald ominously stands in the street with Vinda Rosier (Poppy Corby-Tuech). The Rosier surname will sound familiar as Evan Rosier in the Harry Potter series joined forces with Voldemort. So it seems a pension for wizards who are up to no good runs in the family.

Photo: Warner Bros Pictures

The last time we saw fan-favorite Jacob Kowalski, he had his memory erased as account of being a No-Maj. But all is not lost as he reteams with Newt. But why is he carrying a bucket?

Photo: Warner Bros Pictures

Something dangerous lurks in the sewers of an unknown city as Scamander trounces underground with his trusty suitcase by his side. Is he looking for something he unleashed, or is he facing someone or something else?

What do you think of the new Fantastic Beasts images? Are you getting even more excited for the sequel? 

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them (2016) movie review

The Harry Potter film franchise as we know it might've come to an end in 2011, but the wizarding world has continued to live on through fans' imaginations, theme parks, and now spin-offs. The first step in expanding the series we know and love comes Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. 

Inspired by the Hogwarts's textbook written by a famous magizoologist, screenplay writer and series creator J.K. Rowling sets Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) on his first adventure from Europe to NYC. Set in 1926, he arrives in the city that never sleeps to return a rare creature to its natural home in Arizona. When some of his creatures accidentally escape his magical suitcase, he and his new acquaintances - former Auror Tina Goldstein (Katharine Waterston), her sister Queenie (Alison Sudol), and No-Maj/muggle Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler) - must race across the Big Apple to find his animal companions  before Auror and Director of Magical Security for Magical Congress of the United States of America Percival Graves (Colin Farrel) does.

After taking over the reigns from the boy who lived, Newt and his creatures easily steal your heart. Navigating another side of the magical community that bans his beloved friends, Newt's doesn't quite know how to interact with people makes him a lovable hero . His gentle, wide-eyed behavior and adventures across NYC are the most exciting parts of the film as he meets other outcasts just like him and learns to stand up for all of them. With new characters taking center stage, the beloved quartet led by Newt, Tina, Queenie, and Jacob, feel like longtime friends. By dropping into a new part of the universe, you feel like they're familiar faces even though we're meeting them and seeing their interactions together for the first time; a part of you is reminded exactly of falling in love with Harry, Ron, and Hermione as they teamed up on their quest.

Where the film struggles, however, lies outside of Newt's adventures. As the main antagonist, Percival Graves's venture across NYC trailing a mysterious force of nature wreaking destruction and bringing attention to non-magical folk about magic isn't as exciting. Though Farell's, and Ezra Miller as his NoMaj protege Credence Barebone, give captivating performances, Graves's story is less interesting in the grand scheme of the plot and is more bookended into the film; it'll make more waves as the series grows, but as an important element of Newt's experiences, it takes away from his quest rather elevates it.

Additionally, a lot of the American worldbuilding feels transplanted from the European Potter universe, only set in an earlier time period. For examples: a brief mention of Tina and Queenie's American school Ilvermorny doesn't have the same "homely" feel as Hogwarts; No-Maj doesn't have the familiar ring to it as Muggle; MACUSA's politics is merely a Ministry of Magic copycat.  If you followed along to Pottermore's updates about Fantastic Beasts, you might feel closer to the material; but if you didn't, most details only seems to scratch the surface in passing easter eggs/dialogue. There's things that you hear about or catch your eyes and instantly fall in love with or want to learn about. As the sequels come out, this world will eventually feel fuller. However, it's a lot for fans to catch up with a part they haven't explored like the Harry Potter books. As eventful and tumultuous as the 1920s were, this period lacks the storied richness we're used to like the Harry Potter books.

As a full-length movie to be conjured out of a mere mention in Hogwarts's list of school supplies, and then its own brief companion book, Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them expands on the adventure you never thought was possible. Everything in the Fantastic Beasts production design from sets, costumes, props, and special effects, makes you feel like you've escaped into another world - one of art deco, the dangerous shenanigans Newt finds himself in, and NoMajs on the brink discovering magical lurking all over the city. Having directed four of the Harry Potter films, David Yates definitely has Rowling's intricate and vivid imagination in his wheelhouse to create an epic addition to the Potter verse. Fantastic Beasts does a nice job following in Harry's footsteps, and there's hope on the horizon its sequels will continue the legacy.

5 Creatures We Can Expect In Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them

Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them is just around the corner of hitting theaters worldwide. November 18th, to be exact - so mark your calendars!

Self-proclaimed famous magizoologist and textbook author Newt Scamander faces challenges in the no-maj and wizarding world as befriended creatures from his briefcase are accidentally let loose. The film's remarkable trailers have delivered intriguing sneak peeks of the mysterious animals that will fly, crawl, and squirm their way across the big screen. What beasts will be taking over New York City in the 1920s? Here are five majestic critters we can expect to see in Scamander's film debut!

What Can We Expect for the new Harry Potter Spin-Off?

J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros announced a new extended deal where the Harry Potter author will screenwrite a new spin-off film.

Hufflepuff graduate Newt Scamander will be the new star of the Rowling's next fantasy series. Scamander was also the writer of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, but very little details have been released about this exciting new extension into the wizarding world.

What we can expect - or would like to see - with the new wizarding world spin-off?

CGI or Real Life
When we look at wondrous creatures like Buckbeak from Prisoner of Azkaban, the loyal and beautiful bird-horse was made with specialized computer software. In Deathly Hallows Part 2, the tale of the three brothers is an animated sequence inspired by 1930s-1950s artwork and Eastern styled puppetry.

Warner Bros' spectacular team of designers created an entire world made with a combination of special effects and highly detailed sets. At the Weasley's house, a clock of each family member winds around their locations and safety instead of the time. Even props that never made it on camera like guest programs at Quidditch World Cup in Goblet of Fire were full of information of the teams that were playing.

With Scamander, would we like to see the same achievements from the film franchise, a combination of CGI and real life? Can we picture a green screen jungle or outdoors environment Scamdander goes to find the Fantastic Beasts? Would we like to see the film in a digital age of animation or real life?

Who is Porpentina? 

A mere mention in Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, and in Scamander's life, is his wife Porpentina. While we can gather that she was a witch, we have very little information on how the former Minister of Magic met and the love his life met. Will we see Porpentina and Newt collide during his adventures? Or post career being on the field documenting his adventurous findings?

American wizarding world

In the latest announcement for this new film series, J.K. Rowling unveiled that the series' setting will take place close to the 1920s in New York City. A completely unknown exploration in the Harry Potter series, we only heard about the American wizarding world through Goblet of Fire. A brief mention was made about witches carrying star spangled flags.

Considering Scamander started working on his book around 1918, he has some serious traveling to do to produce the book. How much of the Big Apple and the jazz age can we expect to see?

What adventures can we expect to see?

Much of what we can expect to see in the new film series may be found in the Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them book. There are mysterious and wondrous creatures between the pages that we as the audience may get to see their exciting discovery by Scamander.

We may want to ask which and how many adventures are we likely to see.

There is ten known species of dragon; some of which we have seen in the Harry Potter film franchise series before. We may see some of our favorite winged creatures fly again and some new ones to hit the skies.

If Scamander's life becomes a series we may see his adventures broken down into sections. The first could surround his trekking days identifying species. In 1947, Scamander created the Werewolf Registry, and in 1965 ban on experimental breeding, which ended the creation of new species.

Besides collecting information on new magical species, Scamander also put some time as the headmaster of Hogwarts as well as the Minister of Magic.

May we come to see Scamander come alive on the big screen in an Indiana Jones type manner spending his youth exploring the world and then slowly settle down? Or is a flashback series in order where we see the elite creature-discoverer reflect on his younger days?