As Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald has its world premiere in Paris today, this new featurette explores the connections between the story of Harry Potter, and the new adventure we’re about to see, set long ago in 1927. Take a look at the video and see what you can spot.
The connection has always been there. Watch now to discover how #FantasticBeasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is connected to the Harry Potter series and see it in theaters November 16. Get tickets now: https://t.co/JDjIHC6MsJ pic.twitter.com/IRjfcWEKUD
— Fantastic Beasts (@FantasticBeasts) November 8, 2018
‘Mysterious thing, time,’ Michael Gambon’s Dumbledore says at the start of the montage – which connects the Harry Potter adventures with the Fantastic Beasts films. Indeed, it is – with the new film, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, showing us Dumbledore’s life as a younger man, and revealing bit more of his shared history with Gellert Grindelwald.
In fact, there are many little links and bonds to look out for in the new film, such as the appearance of the Mirror of Erised, which we once saw an 11-year old Harry peering into in the Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone; the symbol of the Deathly Hallows, which we know has fascinated Grindelwald, Dumbledore, Harry and Lord Voldemort, and many more. Here are a few key things that the featurette brings up.
The parallels between Harry and Newt
The featurette splices a young, innocent Harry with that of a young Newt – who we see in the new film in flashback form. Two very different heroes, both Harry and Newt do share certain similarities: they both had to take on Dark wizards against their will and they were both guided and mentored by Albus Dumbledore. Although Newt, naturally, seems far more introverted than Harry, the two heroes must both stare in the face of darkness. How will Newt fare taking on such a burden?
The Mirror of Erised
A young Harry once got obsessed with this mirror in his first year—the enchanted glass that shows you your deepest desires. In the new trailers for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, we’ve seen Dumbledore himself stare into the mirror to see Grindelwald. Honestly, Dumbledore, those aren’t thick woollen socks...
Dumbledore and Grindelwald
Which brings us on to the next point. One particularly poignant moment of the featurette sees Dumbledore say that he and Grindelwald were ‘closer than brothers’. And in other trailers, we’ve seen Dumbledore say that he can’t move against Grindelwald, for reasons, so far unknown. We only saw glimmers of Dumbledore’s and Grindelwald’s childhoods in the Harry Potter books and films, knowing that the former friends met at Godric’s Hollow, became inseparable, but soon fell apart after the death of Dumbledore’s sister, Ariana.
So why, after such a great tragedy, is Dumbledore asking Newt to face Grindelwald instead of himself? In 1945, Dumbledore famously defeated Grindelwald, which is how he secured the Elder Wand. So, we know they must face each other eventually...
The Deathly Hallows
Speaking of the Elder Wand, it’s interesting how prominent the Deathly Hallows symbol has been in Fantastic Beasts so far, with Percival Graves (AKA Grindelwald in disguise) showing it to Credence in the first film.
We’re sure you all know the origin story of the Deathly Hallows – an ancient tale of three brothers who acquired three magical objects to evade death – and we’re sure you also know that Dumbledore and Grindelwald were obsessed with their power. So how will the Hallows come to play in the new film, we wonder? We’ve seen in the trailer that Grindelwald has the Elder Wand at this point – having won it from the wandmaker Gregorovitch in his younger days. We also know that Dumbledore doesn’t take it from him until 1945 – just under two decades after this film is set. Time will only tell how Grindelwald will yield the wand’s unstoppable power, and if he ever finds the other two...
Hogwarts
And, of course, we haven’t forgotten that flash of sprawling hillsides and familiar castle turrets that shocked us to our very core when we saw them pop up in the second trailer: yes, we’re going back to Hogwarts, for real. Well, kinda for real. At the cinema, at least.
From what we’ve seen in trailers so far, we know we’ll be seeing Dumbledore teach a Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson, and some glimmers of Newt’s school days there, too. But why are we going back to Hogwarts? We’re betting it’s more significant than just a stroll down memory lane...
What Harry Potter connections are you most excited to see in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald? Not to over-excite you, but it’s only a week to go.