Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
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A wizard and a No-Maj must work together to contain a group of magical creatures that have escaped into the streets of 1920s New York City.
The story
In 1926, British wizard and "magizoologist" Newt Scamander arrives in New York City. He observes Mary Lou Barebone, the non-magical ("No-Maj" or "Muggle") head of the New Salem Philanthropic Society, preaching that witches and wizards are real and dangerous. Attempting to recapture a Niffler that escapes from his suitcase of magical creatures, Newt bumps into No-Maj Jacob Kowalski, an aspiring baker, and unwittingly swaps suitcases. Porpentina "Tina" Goldstein, a demoted Auror of the Magical Congress of the United States (MACUSA), spots the Niffler and arrests Newt for breaking magical law. Since the suitcase Newt holds contains only Jacob's baked goods, he is released. At home, Jacob opens Newt's suitcase, inadvertently freeing several creatures into the city, and is bitten by one.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1926 New York City, Newt Scamander, a wizard and magizoologist, swaps suitcases with a No-Maj baker named Jacob Kowalski. This leads to the release of several magical creatures into the city. Newt and Tina Goldstein, a demoted Auror, must track down the creatures while dealing with the fallout of their escape. They discover a dangerous Obscurial in Newt's case, which is blamed for a series of attacks. Meanwhile, the Director of Magical Security, Percival Graves, suspects Newt of conspiring with the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. Graves attempts to manipulate Credence Barebone, a troubled youth who is the true host of an Obscurial. After a series of confrontations, the truth is revealed: Graves is actually Grindelwald in disguise. Following a massive magical battle and the destruction of the city, Newt uses a magical mist to erase the memories of the No-Majs of the events. The film ends with Newt and Jacob parting ways, with Newt giving Jacob special ingredients to start a successful bakery, while Queenie Goldstein remains with Jacob, her memories of their connection restored by the magic.
- First release year
- 2016
- Runtime (minutes)
- 133
- Production countries
- United Kingdom; United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- David Yates
- Writers
- J. K. Rowling · writer
- Cast and characters
- Eddie Redmayne · Newt Scamander; Katherine Waterston · Tina Goldstein; Dan Fogler · Jacob Kowalski; Alison Sudol · Queenie Goldstein; Ezra Miller · Credence Barebone; Samantha Morton · Mary Lou Barebone; Jon Voight · Henry Shaw Snr; Carmen Ejogo · Seraphina Picquery; Colin Farrell · Percival Graves; Ron Perlman · Gnarlak; Faith Wood-Blagrove · Modesty Barebone; Johnny Depp · Gellert Grindelwald
- Genres
- fantasy; adventure
- Themes
- identity; prejudice; sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- whimsical; tense
- Premise and plot tags
- fantasy; spin-off; prequel
- Source material / true-story basis
- Newt Scamander's guide book of the same name
- Franchise connections
- Wizarding World
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 66 · scale: 100 · review count: 50; CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F; PostTrak · score: 90% · scale: percentage
- Production trivia
- The film is the ninth overall in the Wizarding World franchise.; The film's script was published in book form on 18 November 2016.; The film's main theme incorporated John Williams' themes from the Harry Potter films.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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