FILM · 2016 · UK
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
- Directed by
- David Yates
- Runtime
- 133 min
- Studio
- Heyday Films, Warner Bros. Pictures
188 archived facts 7 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
In 1926, Newt Scamander arrives at the Magical Congress of the United States of America with a magically expanded briefcase, which houses a number of dangerous creatures and their habitats. When the creatures escape from the briefcase, it sends the American wizarding authorities after Newt, and threatens to strain even further the state of magical and non-magical relations.
188 Interesting Facts About Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Interesting Facts (75)
- #001
The name "Newt Scamander" appears on the Marauder's Map in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004).
- #002
In the Harry Potter universe, Newt Scamander's "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" was first published in 1927 and, besides being a bestseller, became an approved textbook at Hogwarts. By the mid-1990s the Harry Potter series had reached its 52nd printing. Scamander also has the honour of having his own Chocolate Frog Card.
- #003
A scene was shot showing a shirtless Newt Scamander with all the scars he had accumulated on his body while working with dangerous animals. Eddie Redmayne had trained considerably beforehand just for that scene. Unfortunately, however, the scene was cut from the final edit.
- #004
Before filming, Eddie Redmayne was given a very detailed backstory that J. K. Rowling explained to him alone.
- #005
J. K. Rowling stated that this film is "neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but an extension of the wizarding world." Newt's story begins in New York City seventy years before Harry sets out.
- #006
One of the characters shouts "Mercy Lewis!" At another point Tina Goldstein exclaims, "Why in the name of Deliverance Dane did you let that thing loose?" Mercy Lewis and Deliverance Dane were among those accused of witchcraft by their neighbours during the Salem witch trials.
- #007
Contains a major spoiler — show
The necklace Graves gives Credence is the symbol of the Deathly Hallows, like the necklace Xenophilius Lovegood wears in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010). This foreshadows the revelation that Graves is actually Grindelwald in disguise. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows it is told that Grindelwald and Dumbledore were obsessed with the Deathly Hallows. In the book it is specifically noted as Grindelwald's symbol during his reign of terror.
- #008
"Frank" is a Thunderbird. As detailed on Pottermore, the Thunderbird is one of the four houses of Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
- #009
In the 1920s, "muggles" was a slang word used in the US for marijuana cigarettes. This may explain why members of the American wizarding community call non-magical people "no-maj" instead of using this term.
- #010
Contains a major spoiler — show
During the "Interrogation" scene you can see the Deathly Hallows necklace in the pocket of Graves's jacket. This is a small hint at his allegiance and his true identity.
- #011
Although they were left out of the film versions, Harry and his classmates study both bowtruckles and nifflers in the Care of Magical Creatures class in the novels Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. This film marks their first appearance on screen.
- #012
Because very little of the decade's architecture still exists, it was decided not to shoot the film on location. Instead, the production designers created their own meticulously detailed version of 1920s New York City from scratch as a practical, physical set.
- #013
Contains a major spoiler — show
If you look closely at the scene where Newt first shows Jacob all the fantastic beasts he has collected, you will see a Grindylow inside a water bubble. These creatures appear in the underwater task of the Triwizard Tournament in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005). The books also note that Professor Lupin had one in his office while teaching at Hogwarts. It is the question asked of Harry in a later book (Deathly Hallows) to confirm that he really is Harry.
- #014
Contains a major spoiler — show
On 4 June 2015, J. K. Rowling confirmed on her Twitter account that Tina is short for Porpentina. In Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, in "About the Author", Newt Scamander is described as "now living in Dorset with his wife Porpentina and their pet Kneazles: Hoppy, Milly, and Mauler."
- #015
According to J. K. Rowling and Alison Sudol, they came up with the lyrics to the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry school song. Originally, before the climax, there was a scene in which Tina and Queenie sang part of the song to Newt and Jacob. However, the scene was cut from the final film.
- #016
It is possible that house-elves are free in America, as some elves are seen wearing normal clothes and being openly cheeky to humans without fear of retaliation. In the British wizarding world, house-elves are enslaved until their owners give them proper clothes, and they are forbidden from owning wands (though they can perform magic without wands).
- #017
In the novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Xenophilius Lovegood owns a Horn of a Crumple-Horned Snorkack that he insists is genuine. Hermione warns her friends to be careful about it because she is not fooled and knows that an Erumpent horn is prone to exploding. In the novel they realize she was indeed right. In this film, an Erumpent appears as one of the creatures Newt must recapture (resembling a rhinoceros that escapes into Central Park), and the species' explosive and generally destructive nature is depicted on screen for the first time.
- #018
Contains a major spoiler — show
Frank, the giant hawk-like bird Newt shows Jacob while touring his menagerie of fantastic beasts, is a Thunderbird. Thunderbirds are legendary birds in Native American folklore that create lightning and are summoned by thunder. This explains how Frank is summoned in his first appearance in the film and how he flies into the storm cloud at the climax.
- #019
J. K. Rowling wrote this book in 2001, and most of the profits were donated to the charity Comic Relief. More than 80% of the cover price of every book sold goes directly to underprivileged children in various parts of the world.
- #020
Carmen Ejogo insisted that her character Seraphina Picquery be left-handed, since left-handedness has been associated with dark magic and witchcraft for centuries. Ejogo suggested emphasizing this by adding rings to her dominant hand. Costume designer Colleen Atwood liked the idea, and many of the rings were created from scratch.
- #021
This is J. K. Rowling's first screenwriting credit.
- #022
Leta Lestrange, the love of Theseus Scamander, is most likely related to Bellatrix's late husband, Rodolphus Lestrange.
- #023
Eddie Redmayne cut his own wig himself, and he did it in the dark. He did this because Fae Hammond (the film's hair designer) believed Newt would often have to maintain it on ships and in other less-than-ideal conditions. Hammond handed the bewildered Redmayne a rusty kitchen pair of scissors and instructed him to use them in a nearby closet.
- #024
Contains a major spoiler — show
Credence presumably died at the end of the film when his Obscurus form was destroyed by the Aurors. However, according to David Yates, they shot a scene in which Credence is still alive afterwards, but later deleted it because the other producers had not yet decided on the character's direction in the sequels. In the finished film, however, Newt still sees a small black something escaping, indicating that the Obscurus was not completely destroyed. In 2018, Ezra Miller confirmed that they would return as Credence in the sequel Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018).
- #025
The film takes place in early December 1926, only a few weeks before Voldemort, the main villain of the Harry Potter films, is born in the books (31 December 1926). Since the timeline in the films was altered somewhat from the books, it is also unclear whether this is the same birth date in the films.
- #026
Ilvermorny is the name of the American school of witchcraft and wizardry, the counterpart to Hogwarts in the United Kingdom. According to a deleted scene, it is located in Massachusetts.
- #027
The records of Newt's expulsion from Hogwarts closely resemble Hagrid's expulsion in 1942, as detailed in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002). Both involve "accidents" concerning a dangerous, magical creature, but unlike Hagrid, who was framed by Tom Riddle, it is possible that Newt was rightly blamed. Another connection can be drawn between the two characters; Hagrid refers to himself as the "mummy" of the dragon Norbert, and when Newt approaches the occamy nest he says: "Mummy's here." Both characters are close confidants of Albus Dumbledore, who strongly opposed their respective expulsions.
- #028
Contains a major spoiler — show
Some have questioned the fact that Graves could sentence Newt Scamander and Tina Goldstein to death on the spot for mere negligence, with no objection from other ministry employees, while Grindelwald, who committed far more serious crimes, is merely imprisoned. However, it is very likely that Graves (who is Grindelwald in disguise) was acting on his own and made this spontaneous decision to quickly get rid of Newt and Tina, knowing that they too were after the Obscurus. Note that the wizards and witches present during the punishment and attempted execution appear unusually relaxed given the situation, suggesting that Graves may have placed a Confundus or Imperius curse on them to secure their unquestioning cooperation.
- #029
When Tina shows Newt her MACUSA card, many details can be seen. Most importantly, it shows her middle name: Esther; her MACUSA identification number: 240274; and her date of birth: 19 August 1901. It is much harder to see the details of Newt's passport, but the following information can be made out: born in 1897; middle names Artemis Fido; last left Britain on 16 June 1923; passport number #600427.
- #030
Contains a major spoiler — show
The subway stop at the end of the film is believed to be the old City Hall station, which was closed in 1945. The station still exists and can be seen if one takes the 6 train to the last stop (the current City Hall station) and then stays on the train as it turns back toward downtown. Tours of the station are also held several times a year.
- #031
Contains a major spoiler — show
According to the actors, in an interview with Entertainment Tonight for the 2018 comic, they did not record any actual scenes with Johnny Depp for this film and did not know he had been cast as Grindelwald until it was revealed later in post-production.
- #032
A large portion of the film takes place between December 6 and 8, 1926.
- #033
This is the first film in the Harry Potter film series not based on one of the main novels. The book was created to benefit Comic Relief in the United Kingdom and was inspired by the fictional textbook of the same name featured in the Harry Potter novels.
- #034
In 2011, producer Lionel Wigram came up with the idea of making a one-off mock special documentary featuring Newt, in the style of documentaries by famous naturalists such as David Attenborough, Steve Irwin and Jane Goodall. When Wigram suggested this to his producer friends, according to David Heyman and J. K. Rowling, it inspired Rowling to write a feature-length screenplay. Moreover, she already had several new stories from the wizarding world in mind (at one point she considered making an anthology of short animations based on The Tales of Beedle the Bard). Heyman said in September 2016: "Lionel came up with this idea. Jo got it. She said, 'Well, funnily enough, I've already been thinking about something,' and the whole idea came to her somehow. I mean, it changed and developed over the year and a half that followed. But she knows how each piece connects to its own universe."
- #035
The Hogwarts image that appears in the Daily Prophet is archive footage from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007).
- #036
In the About the Author section of the Comic Relief version of "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," it is stated that Newt graduated from Hogwarts. In the film, however, Graves mentions that he was expelled.
- #037
Although the film's "mooncalves" are generally very cute and good-natured, the name has a somewhat unfortunate origin. A mooncalf is a "monstrous birth," generally associated with the abortive fetus of a cow or other farm animal. The mooncalves in the film resemble a deformed calf that in real life would probably be aborted or would not survive birth. "Mooncalf" is also slang for a foolish or naive person, which may be one reason the big-eyed, innocently naive-looking creatures are named this way.
- #038
As the egg cracks in the nest, right after Newt materializes, "Hedwig's Theme" can be faintly heard underscoring the scene.
- #039
The New York City dock scenes were actually filmed at Cardington Hangars in Bedfordshire, England, also known as The Sheds.
- #040
300 builders and craftspeople spent four months constructing the 1920s New York set at Leavesden Studios.
- #041
Contains a major spoiler — show
When MACUSA arrives, a torn wanted poster of Gellert Grindelwald can be seen next to the poster of Tina and Newt in the bar scene.
- #042
Contains a major spoiler — show
America's magical inhabitants refer to non-magical people as "No-Majs." However, the American term for a Squib (a person born into a wizarding family without magical powers of their own) is unknown. Graves/Grindelwald calls Credence a "squib," but since Grindelwald is actually European this reveals nothing, as he is the only person in the film to use that term for a non-magical person born into a magical family.
- #043
There was a deleted scene in which Colin Farrell's character, who is "cramped down in a corner" in his office, has a vision while partly naked. This vision was later referenced in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. In the end, that scene was also cut.
- #044
In interviews with the cast on the two-disc DVD set, it emerged that Eddie Redmayne was nervous about meeting J. K. Rowling, despite having won the Best Actor Oscar for The Theory of Everything (2014).
- #045
Contains a major spoiler — show
Johnny Depp, an American, plays the European (probably German) Gellert Grindelwald, while Colin Farrell, who is Irish and therefore European, plays Percival Graves, Grindelwald's disguise as an American.
- #046
The film takes place 54 years before Harry Potter is born and 65 years before he begins attending Hogwarts.
- #047
At one point Newt appears in the column between two platforms in the subway. This echoes the entrance to Platform 9 3/4, the gateway to the Hogwarts Express.
- #048
Contains a major spoiler — show
Although the character Gellert Grindelwald is probably German, he was played by two British actors, Jamie Campbell Bower and Michael Byrne, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010), and by Irish actor Colin Farrell and American actor Johnny Depp in this film.
- #049
Contains a major spoiler — show
A subtle hint that Graves is actually Grindelwald is that both have the same distinctive undercut at the back of their heads.
- #050
Contains a major spoiler — show
The character of Credence Barebone resembles the title character of Carrie (1976). Both characters are seen as outcasts in their societies and live with an abusive parent or guardian (an adoptive mother in Credence's case and a biological mother in Carrie's case). They also both possess a powerful magic that, while terribly destructive, manifests when they are stressed or angry (fed by suppression and Obscurial in Credence's case and by anger in Carrie's case).
- #051
It is the first film in the Harry Potter Wizarding World series not to be shot on 35mm film.
- #052
In Senator Shaw's campaign speech scene, the giant poster on stage closely resembles the giant poster in the campaign speech scene in Citizen Kane (1941).
- #053
When Jacob Kowalski shows the bank manager his plans for his bakery, a brief glimpse of the prospective store is shown, and you can see that the bakery in the plans is named J. Kowalski; some believe this resembles J. K. Rowling's logo.
- #054
Contains a major spoiler — show
After Newt and Tina jump from the execution chair, Tina is caught by Newt, and the two hold hands and do not let go until they meet Jacob and Queenie.
- #055
In Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007), Eddie Redmayne (Newt Scamander) played Anthony Babbington, Samantha Morton (Mary Lou Barebone) played Mary Stuart, and Rhys Ifans played Robert Reston. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010), Ifans played Xenophilius Lovegood, a role J. K. Rowling confirmed was a distant relative of Newt Scamander.
- #056
Ezra Miller, who plays Credence, played the stepbrother and closest friend of Emma Watson's character in The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012).
- #057
As Kowalski emerges from the frozen river, he walks in Chaplin's classic, comedic style.
- #058
One of the musical themes played throughout the film contains the same melody used several times in Peter Pan (2003), composed by composer James Newton Howard. In that film, Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) played George Darling and Captain James Hook.
- #059
The scene in which Newt Scamander and Jacob Kowalski try to catch a creature at the zoo and on the frozen lake pays tribute to the films of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.
- #060
It received a limited 70 mm theatrical run.
- #061
Dan Fogler (Jacob Kowalski) and Samantha Morton (Mary Lou) both appeared in The Walking Dead seasons 9 and 10.
- #062
Tina's MACUSA identification number is 240274. This is the birth date of Eduardo Lima, a wizard tracked by the Ministry of Magic in 1997 while it was under Death Eater control. Eduardo Lima is also the name of a graphic designer who worked on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) and subsequent films.
- #063
One of the newspapers jokingly asks whether "Soccer" is how No-Majs play Quidditch.
- #064
The newspaper headlines change from "Central Park Wreck" to "Wettest November Ever."
- #065
It is Faith Wood-Blagrove's first film.
- #066
It is the first Wizarding World film shot on Panavision (anamorphic) and shot digitally. All previous Harry Potter films had been shot using the Super 35mm format.
- #067
Colin Farrell plays "Percival Graves," which is also the name of Sir John Hurt's character in King Ralph (1991). Sir John Hurt played Ollivander in the Harry Potter series.
- #068
Samantha Morton and Colin Farrell both appeared in Minority Report (2002) and Miss Julie (2014).
- #069
The house-elf bartender at Gnarlak's Speakeasy mocks Jacob's claim that his uncle was a house-elf. Jacob is unaware that house-elves are a different species and therefore cannot be related to humans. Harry Potter fans will also laugh at Jacob's blunder. In America, people often say "My uncle's a…" in such situations when they feel awkward, which is what Jacob does as an American. His mistake is understandable, since he is a No-Maj (Muggle).
- #070
Contains a major spoiler — show
It is Colin Farrell and Johnny Depp's second collaboration since The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009).
- #071
Alison Sudol (Queenie) and Josh Cowdery (Senator Shaw) share the same birthday: December 23.
- #072
Contains a major spoiler — show
Johnny Depp and Samantha Morton had previously appeared together in The Libertine (2004).
- #073
Colin Farrell and Jon Voight had previously appeared together in Pride and Glory (2008).
- #074
The prominent SQUIRE'S sign on the roof of the building where four characters come together is never explained.
- #075
With this film, the Wizarding World series passed $8 billion in global box office revenue, becoming the second film series to reach that milestone after the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Production Story (88)
- #076
A month before this film was released, J. K. Rowling announced that it would be the first of five films, but ultimately only three were produced. The series was cancelled after the third film, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022), failed at the box office.
- #077
It surpassed Transformers (2007) as Jon Voight's highest-grossing film worldwide, though Transformers remains his highest-grossing film domestically. It also overtook Minority Report (2002) as Colin Farrell's highest-grossing film both domestically and worldwide.
- #078
The name "Newt Scamander" appears on the Marauder's Map in the film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004).
- #079
In the Harry Potter universe, Newt Scamander's "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" was first published in 1927 and, besides being one of the best-selling books, became an approved textbook at Hogwarts. The Harry Potter series had reached its 52nd printing by the mid-1990s. Scamander also has the honor of having his own Chocolate Frog Card.
- #080
The gray and yellow scarf that Newt carries in his case and wears in the film's final scene and in promotional materials is a nod to the fact that he was in Hufflepuff when he went to Hogwarts (a fact J. K. Rowling confirmed in supplementary material).
- #081
A scene was shot showing Newt Scamander shirtless, revealing all the scars he had accumulated on his body while working with dangerous animals. Eddie Redmayne had worked out considerably before filming, just for that scene. Unfortunately, however, the scene was cut from the final cut.
- #082
Before filming, Eddie Redmayne was given a very detailed backstory; J. K. Rowling explained it only to him.
- #083
J. K. Rowling stated that this film is "neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but an extension of the wizarding world. Newt's story will begin in New York City seventy years before Harry sets off."
- #084
One of the characters shouts "Mercy Lewis!" At another point, Tina Goldstein exclaims, "Why in the name of Deliverance Dane did you let that thing loose?" Mercy Lewis and Deliverance Dane were among those accused of witchcraft by their neighbors during the Salem witch trials.
- #085
A month before this film's release, J. K. Rowling announced that it would be the first of five films, but ultimately only three were produced. The series was canceled after the box office failure of the third film, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022).
- #086
Eddie Redmayne auditioned for the role of Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), but was rejected after reading one line. Christian Coulson was cast instead.
- #087
The necklace Graves gives to Credence is the symbol of the Deathly Hallows, like the necklace Xenophilius Lovegood wears in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010). This foreshadows the revelation that Graves is actually Grindelwald in disguise. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, it is told that Grindelwald and Dumbledore were obsessed with the Deathly Hallows. In the book, it is specifically noted as Grindelwald's symbol during his reign of terror.
- #088
"Frank" is a Thunderbird. The Thunderbird is one of the four Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry houses, as detailed on Pottermore.
- #089
Wand school was mandatory for many of the cast. The actors and actresses would attend a training camp to learn how to move and use the wand correctly.
- #090
During the "Interrogation" scene, you can see the Deathly Hallows necklace in the pocket of Graves's jacket. This is a small hint about his allegiance and his true identity.
- #091
Eddie Redmayne admitted that he did not perform very well in the auditions for the role of Kylo Ren in Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens (2015), and this freed him up for the role of Newt, though he was unaware that he was the studio's only choice for the second option.
- #092
Since very little of the decade's architecture still exists, it was decided not to shoot the film on location. Instead, the production designers created their own meticulously detailed version of 1920s New York City from scratch as a practical, physical set.
- #093
If you look closely at the scene where Newt first shows Jacob all the fantastic beasts he has collected, you will see a Grindylow inside a water bubble. These creatures appear in the underwater task of the Triwizard Tournament in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005). It is also stated in the books that Professor Lupin had one in his office while teaching at Hogwarts. This is the question he later asks Harry in a later book (Deathly Hallows) to confirm that he is really Harry.
- #094
On June 4, 2015, J. K. Rowling confirmed on her Twitter account that Tina is short for Porpentina. In Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, in "About the Author," Newt Scamander is described as "now living in Dorset with his wife Porpentina and their pet Kneazles: Hoppy, Milly, and Mauler."
- #095
According to J. K. Rowling and Alison Sudol, they came up with the lyrics to the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry school song. Originally, before the climax, there is a scene where Tina and Queenie sing part of the song to Newt and Jacob. However, the scene was cut from the final film.
- #096
House-elves are free in America, as some elves have been seen wearing normal clothes and openly sassing humans without fear of reprisal. In the British wizarding world, house-elves are enslaved until their owners give them proper clothes, and they are forbidden from owning wands (though they can perform magic without them).
- #097
In the novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Xenophilius Lovegood owns a crumple-horned snorkack horn that he insists is genuine. Hermione warns her friends to be careful, because she is not fooled and knows that an Erumpent horn is prone to exploding. In the novel, they find out she was right. In this film, an Erumpent appears as one of the creatures Newt must recapture (resembling a rhinoceros that escapes into Central Park), and the species' explosive and generally destructive nature is depicted on screen for the first time.
- #098
The giant bird Frank, which Newt shows Jacob as he tours his menagerie of fantastic beasts, is a Thunderbird. Thunderbirds are legendary birds in Native American folklore that create lightning and are summoned by thunder. This explains how Frank is summoned in his first appearance in the film and how he flies into the storm cloud at the climax.
- #099
When Mary Lou asks Newt, "Are you a seeker?" he replies, "More of a chaser." This has a double meaning, since both Seeker and Chaser are positions in Quidditch, and it also hints at the fact that he is constantly chasing creatures.
- #100
J. K. Rowling wrote this book in 2001, and most of the profits were donated to the charity Comic Relief. More than 80% of the cover price of every book sold goes directly to impoverished children in various parts of the world.
- #101
Carmen Ejogo insisted that her character, Seraphina Picquery, be left-handed, since left-handedness has been associated with dark magic and witchcraft for centuries. Ejogo suggested emphasizing this by adding rings to her dominant hand. Costume designer Colleen Atwood liked the idea, and many of the rings were created from scratch.
- #102
J. K. Rowling's first screenwriting credit.
- #103
Thesseus Scamander's love, Leta Lestrange, is most likely related to Bellatrix's late husband, Rodolphus Lestrange.
- #104
Eddie Redmayne cut his own wig, and he did it in the dark. He did this because Fae Hammond (the film's hair designer) believed that Newt would often have to maintain it on ships and in other less-than-ideal conditions. Hammond handed the bewildered Redmayne a rusty kitchen scissors and instructed him to use it in a nearby cupboard.
- #105
Credence presumably died at the end of the film when his Obscurus form was destroyed by Aurors. However, according to David Yates, they shot a scene in which Credence is still alive afterward, but later deleted it because the other producers had not yet decided on the character's direction in the sequels. In the finished film, however, Newt still sees a small black something escape, indicating that the Obscurus was not completely destroyed. In 2018, Ezra Miller confirmed that they would return as Credence in the sequel Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018).
- #106
The form of execution Tina is to experience, seated in a chair and submerged in a pool of water, is based on the method of execution/punishment/trial used during the Salem witch trials. A person accused of being a witch would be strapped into "the dunking chair" and submerged underwater. If the person sank, they were declared innocent; if the person floated, they were pronounced a "witch."
- #107
The film takes place in early December 1926, just weeks before Voldemort, the main antagonist of the Harry Potter films, is born in the books (31 December 1926). Since the timeline in the films was altered somewhat from the books, it is also unclear whether this is his birth date in the films as well.
- #108
The records of Newt's expulsion from Hogwarts closely resemble Hagrid's expulsion in 1942, as detailed in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002). Both involve "accidents" related to a dangerous, magical creature, but unlike Hagrid, who was framed by Tom Riddle, it is possible that Newt was justly accused. Another connection can be drawn between the two characters; Hagrid refers to himself as the "mummy" of the dragon Norbert, and when Newt approaches the occamy nest he says, "Mummy's here." Both characters are close confidants of Albus Dumbledore, who strongly opposes their respective expulsions.
- #109
The magical law implied by Newt, Queenie and Tina, which encouraged discrimination between magical and non-magical people and banned fraternization, is a clear reference to the racial segregation laws in force in the US at the time. In the film it is called the Rappaport Law, named after Emily Rappaport, the fifteenth President of MACUSA. According to J. K. Rowling, the law came into force in 1790 as a result of a violation of the International Statute of Secrecy caused by the recklessness of Dorcus Twelvetrees (daughter of Aristotle Twelvetrees, American Minister of Magic) and Bartholomew Barebone (a No-Maj descended from a Scourer). However, the law came in for heavy criticism because of the intense discrimination and the penalties imposed in the event of a violation. Mary Lou Barebone is likely descended from Bartholomew. In addition to the ban on fraternization, wands carried by foreign wizards also had to be registered (seen on Newt's first visit to MACUSA), and students at Ilvermorny had to hand in their wands at the school before leaving for the holidays. The law would not be repealed until 1965.
- #110
Some have questioned the fact that Graves could sentence Newt Scamander and Tina Goldstein to death on the spot for mere negligence, while other Ministry employees had no objection; yet Grindelwald, who committed far more serious crimes, is only imprisoned. However, it is very likely that Graves (who is Grindelwald in disguise) was acting on his own and made this spontaneous decision to get rid of Newt and Tina quickly, knowing that they too were after the Obscurus. Note that the wizards and witches present during the punishment and attempted execution seem unusually relaxed given the situation, suggesting that Graves may have placed a Confundus or Imperius curse on them to secure their unquestioning cooperation.
- #111
When Tina shows Newt her MACUSA card, many details can be seen. Most importantly, it shows her middle name: Esther; her MACUSA identification number: 240274; and her date of birth: 19 August 1901. It is much harder to see the details of Newt's passport, but the following information can be made out: born 1897; middle names Artemis Fido; last left Britain on 16 June 1923; passport number #600427.
- #112
This is the first "Harry Potter" film for which Colleen Atwood won an Oscar for Best Costume Design.
- #113
The subway stop at the end of the film is believed to be the old City Hall station, which closed in 1945. The station still exists and can be seen if one takes the 6 train to the last stop (the current City Hall station) and then stays on the train as it turns back towards the city centre. Tours of the station are also organized several times a year.
- #114
In her first scene, Queenie is dressed in a style reminiscent of Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire (1951). Queenie's love interest is named Kowalski, which is also the name of Blanche's brother-in-law in that play.
- #115
According to the actors, in an interview they gave to Entertainment Tonight for the 2018 comic, they did not record any actual scenes with Johnny Depp for this film and did not know he had been cast as Grindelwald until it was revealed later in post-production.
- #116
The brightly coloured books seen on the shelf behind Jacob during dinner in Queenie and Tina's apartment are the seven volumes of Chadwick's Charms, the American equivalent of The Standard Book of Spells used at Hogwarts. An interesting connection to the Harry Potter series is that the book's author, Chadwick Boot, is the older brother of Webster Boot, an ancestor of Harry's schoolmate Terry Boot, who returned to England as a pioneering Auror. The brothers were the adopted sons of Ilvermorny's founders, Isolt Sayre and her husband James Steward.
- #117
A large part of the film takes place between 6 and 8 December 1926.
- #118
This is the second film, after The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009), in which Colin Farrell and Johnny Depp play two versions of the same character, having both replaced Heath Ledger following his death, alongside Jude Law. Jude Law also played a young Dumbledore in this film's sequel.
- #119
There are several clues that Percival Graves is actually Gellert Grindelwald in disguise: 1. Graves and Grindelwald have similar hairstyles. 2. During the interrogation, Graves pays particular attention to the fact that Albus Dumbledore holds Newt Scamander in high regard. According to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Dumbledore and Grindelwald were close friends and were equally obsessed with the Deathly Hallows. 3. Later, shots from the perspective of someone soaring over the city reveal that Graves travels as smoke. In the films, travelling as smoke is associated with the dark arts, because the only other people seen travelling this way in this fictional universe are Death Eaters and Voldemort. 4. In a secret meeting between Graves and Credence Barebone, Graves gives Credence a charm he can use to summon him if he needs help. The charm is the symbol of the Deathly Hallows. In the Harry Potter books it is also understood to be the mark of Grindelwald, once associated with his anti-Muggle terrorist campaign between the 1920s and 1940s. 5. Dumbledore's sister Ariana is said to have hosted an Obscurus, which is why in the books she was prone to lashing out with powerful magic after trying to suppress it. Save Scamander, Graves appears to be the only person in this film who knows about Obscurials — at least enough to think he can use Credence for his treacherous purposes. 6. Graves, who believes Credence has a non-magical as well as a magical background, refers to him as a squib. Given that the magical community refers to non-magical people without magical ancestry as No-Maj rather than Muggles, it is entirely possible that they have another term for squibs. If so, Graves-Grindelwald made a mistake and revealed his European origins. 7. Graves's first name is Percival. Percival is one of the middle names of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Grindelwald may have consciously or unconsciously recalled "Percival" and used it as his alias.
- #120
In the opening scene, when the Warner Bros. logo appears, the first sequence of notes is the familiar musical motif used throughout the Harry Potter films (titled "Hedwig's Theme" by John Williams) before it turns into an original composition.
- #121
Alison Sudol, the singer of the band "A Fine Frenzy", was working on a new solo album during filming. On the days she was allowed off the film set in London, she would take the train to Bristol to continue working on the record.
- #122
Alfonso Cuaron, the director of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), expressed interest in directing this film in an interview with Vulture: "Doing 'Azkaban' was fun, and when I did it I was invited to do the next film, but I didn't want to overstay that welcome because it was such a big experience. But now? Why not? There are things I want to do (next), but there's a J. K. Rowling. Well… They haven't called me yet! They haven't decided to invite me! At least I look forward to seeing it, because nobody invited me".
- #123
The cast were not allowed to take their scripts home and had to lock them in a safe at the end of each day.
- #124
The first film not based on one of the major novels in the Harry Potter film series. The book was created to benefit Comic Relief in the United Kingdom and was inspired by the fictional textbook of the same name featured in the Harry Potter novels.
- #125
In 2011, producer Lionel Wigram had the idea of making a one-off mock special documentary featuring Newt, in the style of documentaries by famous naturalists such as David Attenborough, Steve Irwin and Jane Goodall. When Wigram suggested this to his producer colleagues, according to David Heyman and J. K. Rowling, it inspired Rowling to write a feature-length screenplay. Moreover, she already had several new stories from the wizarding world in mind (at one point she considered making an anthology of short animations based on The Tales of Beedle the Bard). Heyman said in September 2016: "Lionel came up with this idea. Jo got it. She said, 'Well, funnily enough, I've been thinking about something anyway', and the whole idea somehow came to her. I mean, it changed and developed over the year and a half that followed. But she knows how each piece connects to its own universe".
- #126
In the About the Author section of the Comic Relief version of "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," it states that Newt graduated from Hogwarts. However, in the film Graves mentions that he was expelled.
- #127
Michael Cera was considered for the role of Jacob, but he passed on this film role for the voice work in the animated The Lego Batman Movie (2017).
- #128
The film's "mooncalves," while generally very cute and good-natured, have a name with a somewhat unfortunate origin. A mooncalf is a "monstrous birth," usually associated with the abortive fetus of a cow or another farm animal. The mooncalves in the film resemble a deformed calf that in real life would likely be aborted or would not survive birth. "Mooncalf" is also slang for a foolish or naive person, which may be one reason the big-eyed, innocently innocent-looking creatures are named this way.
- #129
As the egg cracks in the cluster, just after Newt materializes, "Hedwig's Theme" can be faintly heard underscoring the scene.
- #130
The New York City dock scenes were actually shot at Cardington Hangars, Bedfordshire, England (also known as The Sheds).
- #131
300 builders and craftsmen spent 4 months constructing the 1920s New York set at Leavesden studios.
- #132
When MACUSA arrives, in the bar scene, next to the poster of Tina and Newt there is a torn wanted poster of Gellert Grindelwald.
- #133
America's magical inhabitants refer to non-magical people as "No-Majs." However, the American name for a Squib (an individual born into a wizarding family without magical powers of their own) is unknown. Graves/Grindelwald calls Credence a "squib," but since Grindelwald is actually European, this reveals nothing, as he is the only one in the film to use that term for a non-magical person born into a magical family.
- #134
There was a removed scene in which Colin Farrell's character, who is "cramped down in a corner" of his office, has a vision while partly naked. This vision was later also referenced in Fantastic Beasts and the Crimes of Grindelwald. In the end, that scene was deleted as well.
- #135
In the interviews with the cast on the double DVD set, it emerged that Eddie Redmayne was nervous about meeting J. K. Rowling, despite winning the Best Actor Oscar for The Theory of Everything (2014).
- #136
This film takes place 54 years before Harry Potter is born and 65 years before he starts attending Hogwarts.
- #137
At one point, Newt appears in the column between two platforms in the subway. This recalls the entrance to Platform 9 3/4, the entrance to the Hogwarts Express.
- #138
Although the character Gellert Grindelwald is probably German, he was played by two English actors, Jamie Campbell Bower and Michael Byrne, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010), and by Irish actor Colin Farrell and American actor Johnny Depp in this film.
- #139
A subtle clue that Graves is actually Grindelwald is that both have the same distinctive undercut at the back of their heads.
- #140
Samantha Morton points to another connection between the Harry Potter world and Middle-earth. J. K. Rowling worked in references such as Bathilda Bagshot (named after Bagshot Row, a street in Hobbiton) and Neville Longbottom (Longbottom Leaf is a type of pipe-weed). Morton is the daughter-in-law of Sir Ian Holm, who not only played Bilbo in Sir Peter Jackson's films but also voiced Frodo in the BBC Radio series, in which Bill Nighy (Rufus Scrimgeour) voiced Sam and Sir Robert Stephens (former husband of Dame Maggie Smith (Minerva McGonagall)) voiced Aragorn. Also, Sir John Hurt, who played Garrick Ollivander in the Harry Potter films, voiced Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings (1978).
- #141
It was implied that a scene showing many of Newt's wounds and injuries from his time searching for creatures would be removed. However, this scene did not appear in the Blu-ray and DVD versions of the film.
- #142
The character of Credence Barebone resembles the protagonist of Carrie (1976). Both characters are seen as outcasts in their societies and live with an abusive parent or guardian (in Credence's case, his adoptive mother, and in Carrie's case, her biological mother). They also possess a powerful magic that manifests when they are stressed or angered (in Credence's case, fed by suppression and Obscurial, and in Carrie's case, fed by anger), although it is terrifyingly destructive.
- #143
It is the first film in the Harry Potter Wizarding World series not shot on 35mm film.
- #144
When Jacob Kowalski shows the bank manager his plans for his bakery, there is a brief glimpse of the prospective shop, and you can see that the name of the bakery on the plans is J. Kowalski; some believe this resembles J. K. Rowling's logo.
- #145
After Newt catches Tina as she jumps from the execution chair, Newt and Tina hold hands and do not let go until they encounter Jacob and Queenie.
- #146
In Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007), Eddie Redmayne (Newt Scamander) played Anthony Babbington, Samantha Morton (Mary Lou Barebone) played Mary Stuart, and Rhys Ifans played Robert Reston. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010), Ifans played Xenophilius Lovegood, written by J. K. Rowling, who confirmed he is a distant relative of Newt Scamander.
- #147
One of the musical themes played throughout the film contains the same melody used several times in Peter Pan (2003), composed by James Newton Howard. In that film, Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) played George Darling and Captain James Hook.
- #148
The scene in which Newt Scamander and Jacob Kowalski try to catch a creature in the zoo and on the frozen lake pays tribute to the films of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy.
- #149
Dan Fogler (Jacob Kowalski) and Samantha Morton (Mary Lou) appeared in The Walking Dead Seasons 9 and 10.
- #150
Tina's MACUSA identification number is 240274. This is the birth date of the wizard Eduardo Lima, whom the Ministry of Magic tracked in 1997 while he was under the control of a Death Eater. Eduardo Lima is also the name of a graphic designer who worked on Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) and subsequent films.
- #151
One of the newspapers jokingly asks whether "Soccer" is the way non-majors play Quidditch.
- #152
The newspaper headlines range from "Central Park Wreck" to "Wettest November Ever."
- #153
Faith Wood-Blagrove's first film.
- #154
The first Wizarding World film shot in Panavision (anamorphic) and shot digitally. All previous Harry Potter films had been shot using the Super 35mm format.
- #155
Samantha Morton and Colin Farrell appeared in Minority Report (2002) and Miss Julie (2014).
- #156
Eddie Redmayne, who plays Newt Scamander, appeared in My Week with Marilyn (2011), starring Emma Watson (Hermione Granger). Redmayne also appeared alongside Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) in Les Misérables (2012).
- #157
The house-elf bartender at Gnarlak's Speakeasy mocks Jacob's claim that his uncle is a house-elf. Jacob is unaware that house-elves are a different species and therefore cannot be related to humans. Harry Potter fans will also laugh at Jacob's blunder. In America, when people feel awkward in situations like this, they usually say "My uncle's a…" which is exactly what Jacob does as an American. His mistake is understandable, since he is a No-Maj (Muggle).
- #158
One of the musical numbers recalls the musical theme of The Polar Express (2004) (for example, when Queenie and Newt are talking about Lestrange).
- #159
Johnny Depp and Samantha Morton had previously appeared in The Libertine (2004).
- #160
Colin Farrell and Jon Voight had previously appeared in Pride and Glory (2008).
- #161
The prominent SQUIRE'S sign on top of the building where the 4 characters come together is never explained.
- #162
It surpassed Transformers (2007) as Jon Voight's highest-grossing film worldwide. Transformers remains his highest-grossing film domestically. It also surpassed Minority Report (2002) as Colin Farrell's highest-grossing film both domestically and worldwide.
- #163
With this film, the Wizarding World series' global box office gross surpassed 8 billion dollars.
Behind the Scenes (2)
- #164
Contains a major spoiler — show
The method of execution Tina is to experience, seated in a chair and submerged in a pool of water, is based on the execution/punishment/trial method used during the Salem witch trials. A person accused of being a witch would be strapped into "the dunking chair" and submerged underwater. If the person sank, they were declared innocent; if the person floated, they were pronounced a "witch".
- #165
Alison Sudol, the singer of the band "A Fine Frenzy," was working on a new solo album during filming. On her days off from the film set in London, she took the train to Bristol to continue working on the record.
Characters & Cast (9)
- #166
According to J. K. Rowling, Eddie Redmayne was the only choice for the lead role. Redmayne did not have to audition and was involved in other casting decisions.
- #167
Eddie Redmayne auditioned for the role of Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002) but was rejected after reading a single line. Christian Coulson was cast instead.
- #168
Wand school was mandatory for many members of the cast. The actors and actresses attended a training camp to learn how to move and use the wand correctly.
- #169
Contains a major spoiler — show
This is the second film after The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (2009), in which Colin Farrell and Johnny Depp both play two versions of the same character alongside Jude Law, who replaced Heath Ledger after his death. Jude Law also played young Dumbledore in this film's sequel.
- #170
Michael Cera was considered for the role of Jacob, but he passed on this film role for the voice role in the animated The Lego Batman Movie (2017).
- #171
Saoirse Ronan, Dakota Fanning, Kristen Stewart and Lili Simmons were considered for the role of Queenie.
- #172
Michael Cera, Josh Gad, Steve Zissis and Zack Pearlman were considered for the role of Jacob.
- #173
Kate Upton and Elizabeth Debicki were considered for the role of Tina.
- #174
Eddie Redmayne, who plays Newt Scamander, appeared in My Week with Marilyn (2011), which starred Emma Watson (Hermione Granger). Redmayne also appeared alongside Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange) in Les Misérables (2012).
Easter Eggs & References (3)
- #175
The grey and yellow scarf Newt carries in his case and wears in the film's final scene and in promotional materials is a nod to the fact that he was in Hufflepuff when he attended Hogwarts (a fact J. K. Rowling confirmed in supplementary material).
- #176
The wizarding law implied by Newt, Queenie and Tina, which promotes discrimination between magical and non-magical people and bans fraternization, is a clear reference to the racial segregation laws in force in the US at the time. In the film it is called the Rappaport Law, named after Emily Rappaport, the fifteenth President of MACUSA. According to J. K. Rowling, the law came into force in 1790 as a result of a violation of the International Statute of Secrecy caused by the recklessness of Dorcus Twelvetrees (daughter of Aristotle Twelvetrees, the American Minister of Magic) and Bartholomew Barebone (a No-Maj descended from a Scourer). However, the law faces heavy criticism because of intense discrimination and the penalties imposed for violations. Mary Lou Barebone is likely descended from Bartholomew. In addition to the ban on fraternization, wands carried by foreign wizards must also be registered (as seen on Newt's first visit to MACUSA), and students at Ilvermorny must hand in their wands to the school before leaving for the holidays. The law would not be repealed until 1965.
- #177
In November 2015, it emerged that the American wizarding community in the film does not use the word "Muggles" to refer to non-magical people, but instead uses its own word "No-Maj" (short for "no magic").
Deeper Meaning (9)
- #178
When Mary Lou asks Newt "Are you a seeker?", he replies: "More of a chaser." This has a double meaning since both Seeker and Chaser are positions in Quidditch, and it also hints at the fact that he is constantly chasing creatures.
- #179
The brightly colored books seen on the shelf behind Jacob during dinner in Queenie and Tina's apartment are the seven volumes of Chadwick's Charms, the American equivalent of The Standard Book of Spells used at Hogwarts. An interesting connection to the Harry Potter series is that the book's author, Chadwick Boot, is the older brother of Webster Boot, an ancestor of Harry's schoolmate Terry Boot, who returned to England as a pioneering Auror. The brothers were the adopted sons of Ilvermorny's founders, Isolt Sayre and her husband James Steward.
- #180
Contains a major spoiler — show
There are several hints that Percival Graves is Gellert Grindelwald in disguise: 1. Graves and Grindelwald have similar hairstyles. 2. During the interrogation, Graves pays particular attention to Albus Dumbledore's great respect for Newt Scamander. According to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Dumbledore and Grindelwald were close friends and were equally obsessed with the Deathly Hallows. 3. Later, shots from the perspective of someone floating over the city reveal that Graves travels as smoke. In the films, traveling as smoke is associated with the dark arts, because the other people seen traveling this way in this fictional universe are Death Eaters and Voldemort. 4. At a secret meeting between Graves and Credence Barebone, Graves gives Credence a spell that can summon him if he needs help. The charm is the symbol of the Deathly Hallows. In the Harry Potter books it is also understood to be the mark of Grindelwald, once mentioned during his anti-Muggle terrorism campaign between the 1920s and 1940s. 5. Dumbledore's sister Ariana is said to have hosted an Obscurus, which is why in the books she was prone to attacking with powerful magic after trying to suppress it. Save for Scamander, Graves appears to be the only one in this film who knows about the Obscurus — at least enough to think he can use Credence for his treacherous purposes. 6. Graves, who believes Credence has a non-magical and a magical parentage, refers to him as a firecracker. Given that the magical community refers to non-magical people of non-magical origin as No-Maj rather than Muggles, it is entirely possible they have another term for firecrackers. If so, Graves-Grindelwald made a mistake and revealed his European origin. 7. Graves's first name is Percival. Percival is one of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore's middle names. Grindelwald may have consciously or unconsciously recalled "Percival" and used it as his alias.
- #181
In the opening scene, when the Warner Bros. logo appears, the first sequence of notes is the familiar musical motif used throughout the Harry Potter films (called "Hedwig's Theme" by John Williams) before it turns into an original composition.
- #182
It was released fifteen years and two days after Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001).
- #183
Samantha Morton points to another connection between the Harry Potter world and Middle-earth. J. K. Rowling worked in references such as Bathilda Bagshot (named after Bagshot Row, a street in Hobbiton) and Neville Longbottom (Longbottom Leaf is a type of pipe-weed). Morton is the daughter-in-law of Sir Ian Holm, who not only played Bilbo in Sir Peter Jackson's films but also voiced Frodo in the BBC Radio series, in which Bill Nighy (Rufus Scrimgeour) voiced Sam and Sir Robert Stephens (the ex-husband of Dame Maggie Smith (Minerva McGonagall)) voiced Aragorn. Also, Sir John Hurt, who played Garrick Ollivander in the Harry Potter films, voiced Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings (1978).
- #184
It was implied that a scene showing many of Newt's wounds and injuries from the period when he was searching for his creatures would be cut. However, this scene did not appear in the Blu-ray and DVD versions of the film.
- #185
In the early bank scene where the Niffler causes chaos, Newt uses the "Alohomora" spell to open the vault and the "Petrificus Totalus" spell to incapacitate the bank manager. Both spells were used by Hermione Granger in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001).
- #186
One of the musical numbers recalls the musical theme of The Polar Express (2004), for instance when Queenie and Newt are talking about Lestrange.
Career & Awards (2)
Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
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