The early estimates for “Halloween” were much, much lower. And the “Grindelwald” estimates may be too low as well. (Or not. We’ll see.) Because why not, here’s my random probably-equally-wrong prediction for the “Fantastic Beasts 2” opening: $82 million.
The second “Fantastic Beasts” movie opens in theaters November 16. Since reviews aren’t even out yet, it’s way too soon to really say how it will do. Some people will be swayed by critical and early audience reactions. It’s very easy and terribly tempting to just stay home and wait for the DVD, rather than head out and spend all that money on something that might disappoint. But if it gets raves, more people might be motivated to head out in the weekend before Thanksgiving.
The first film, which came out in 2016, made $74.4 million in its opening weekend at the domestic box office. Ultimately, it picked up $234 million at the domestic box office, and a whopping $580 million at the international box office for a worldwide total of $814,037,575.
Warner Bros.
The global numbers are going to lift “Grindelwald,” too. But for now, the opening North American projections show it earning anywhere from low $60Ms to mid $70Ms.
This film has Johnny Depp starring as dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald, with Jude Law as (hot) younger Albus Dumbledore. That’s in addition to the returning “Fantastic Beasts” cast, like Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander. Plus, we get to meet Nagini before she was a snake! Some people have threatened to boycott the film because of Depp’s casting, but it remains to be seen if that will really happen and affect the box office take.
“Crimes of Grindelwald” is the second of five planned films in this series, and it’s hard to imagine people who watched the first one wouldn’t be curious to continue with the series. But that doesn’t mean they’ll rush out to watch it opening weekend, or in a movie theater at all.
Warner Bros.
“Fantastic Beasts 2” was picked as the most anticipated fall movie in at least one survey. Plus, “Halloween” just opened waaaaay past its own early estimates — which were much lower than the eventual $76+ million. If an R-rated “Halloween” sequel can do that well, shouldn’t a PG-13 “Harry Potter” prequel sequel top it? Apples to oranges?
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” opens Friday, Nov. 16, in the weekend before Thanksgiving. Will you head out that opening weekend, or wait till the next week, or later in the year, or till when it comes out on Digital/DVD/Blu-ray? Or will you skip it entirely?
The trailer drops a surprising revelation: that actress Claudia Kim’s mysterious character is none other than … Nagini?! Yes, Lord Voldemort’s snake and eventual Horcrux. Turns out she is a human Maledictus (meaning, her blood was cursed to turn her into a beast) and a member of a traveling circus.
The rest of the trailer highlights the dark turn this saga is taking, as Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) gathers together an army of wizards to rule against all non-magical beings. Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists the help of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) to go to Paris and stop him.
Another tantalizing moment is seeing an even younger Dumbledore and Grindelwald and then the older versions gazing longingly at each other in the Mirror of Erised.
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” opens in theaters November 16.
The video also features short interviews with author J.K. Rowling, Eddie Redmayne (who returns as Newt Scamander) and Zoë Kravitz, who plays Leta Lestrange.
We also see clips of Dumbledore teaching young Newt (played by the perfectly cast Joshua Shea) and enough Hogwarts footage to make any Potterphile nostalgic.
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” opens November 16.
While visiting the set of “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” in 2017, the Oscar-winning star was knee-deep and production and, despite the demands of the shooting schedule, he was effortlessly personable and likable. No wonder why his character, Newt, quickly became a fan favorite. (Along with his very iconic coat).
Redmayne revealed what it’s like for his character interacting on screen with a younger version of Dumbledore (Jude Law) and what is in store for his character.
MOVIEFONE:Have you [shot] scenes with Jude already?
Eddie Redmayne: I have, yeah. We have. And it was — it’s really wonderful. I’ve known Jude for many years, socially, and have admired his work and — when we got to play, it was really playful. And he has that sort of twinkle in his eye that Dumbledore always has, that, I think, is so important in the depictions of Dumbledore in the films and certainly was really important to J.K. Rowling.
How’s the dynamic with Newt’s brother, played by Callum Turner?
It’s wonderful. One of the things I’ve enjoyed most is working with Callum. I was watching “War and Peace,” I don’t know if you guys saw that, which he was in. My wife and I were watching it and he turned up on screen and literally, [my wife and I] were like — “that’s like a taller, darker, better looking version of me.” <laughter> So when [director] David Yates was auditioning people for that part and he said “I want you to test with this actor,” and Callum walked in — I was, like, holy sh**.
WB
Speaking of relationships, we heard from one of the art directors that Newt and Tina (Katherine Waterston) had a bit of falling out. Can you talk about what happened?
Um… it’s not so much a falling out <laughs> as it is a misunderstanding. <laughs> You know, at the end of the last film, Newt was going home to write his book, but was desperate to come back. And when you meet him at the top of this film, he’s still desperate to come back. There’s been a misunderstanding and one of the lovely things is the way in which these guys come back together. It is typical for Tina and Newt through a lot of inability to communicate what they really feel. But it’s been so wonderful playing with Katherine.
We also heard that Newt’s assistant has an unrequited love for him and I feel like — as a fan — you’re always rooting for the unrequited love to become requited. Will that be a challenge for fans?
Have you heard about, uh, am I allowed to say her name? Are we allowed to talk about what the assistant’s name is?
Yeah.
She’s this wonderful character called Bunty and she is — she only has a scene or two in the film.
So in the last film, there was sort of a buddy comedy element to it.
Yeah.
How much of that are we going to see here?
So, we end up — the action ends up in Paris, that is where the major part of the film takes place. And there is a point in the movie where Jacob (Dan Fogler) and Newt meet up and it’s quite clear they have to go on an adventure to Paris. And so, there’s that element and Dan’s genius, which was one of the things I enjoyed most about the first film. How Jo [Rowling] had written Jacob — but then Dan taking it to another level through improvising and playing. He always described [our characters’ relationship] as sort of this Laurel and Hardy-style kind of relationship. But it was unlike anything I’d ever had to play and it’s been really wonderful.
It looks like there’s a lot more action in this new movie for sure. Compared to the last one, do you find it more of a challenge in that increasing amount of physicality?
The interesting thing is that this film takes it to — you really get inside the psychology of the characters more and and it’s a darker place. You can sort of get a sense of what’s coming historically in the Muggle world at the time and certainly the wizarding world. There are elements that are reflecting that and with the rise of Grindelwald and this sort of — this sort of greater evil. So the stakes are higher.
WB
Can you talk a bit about your role and Newt’s role in the Dumbledore-Grindelwald face-off?
Yeah.
I think some people might have feared that he’d be a bit marginalized. You know, once you introduce these two big personalities, it becomes about them.
I feel like Newt’s skillset is quite unique, and I don’t just mean with beasts, I mean with empathy. His capacity to see broken people and to reach out to broken people is a skillset which is pretty unique. And it’s one of the things that Dumbledore has always, since he was a kid, seen in Newt. Rowling has created a scenario that’s not as simple as the two can just face off. And actually, Dumbledore needs to recruit the skillset of Newt to help.
“Epic” is an adjective that gets overused in its application to most movies recently, but “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” and its production values are certainly worthy of that descriptor.
Moviefone joined several other outlets on a London set visit in 2017, where we strolled the cobblestone streets home to the latest installment set in J.K. Rowling’s world. It’s like the production’s mantra was “go big or go home,” with the scale and attention to detail given to this production a refreshing break from recent blockbusters’ reliance on mostly CG to lure audiences into theaters.
Sure, “Crimes” will have an impressive array of computer-generated effects because obvious, but they will, according to our chat with director David Yates, be used to underscore the production values without distracting from the crazy-impressive craftsmanship we were gifted a chance to walk among.
Yates is no stranger to delivering on the “epic” side of things, especially in the Harry Potter universe. He has directed every HP movie since “Order of the Phoenix” — and he is back for the sequel to his first adventure with Newt Scamander (Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne). Things get a little darker, and more, um, “epic,” in this sequel, thanks to the escalating threat of villain Grindelwald that will put many fan-favorite characters in jeopardy. Can’t wait.
Here are some of the most noteworthy things we learned from our interviews with the cast and crew on our set visit — along with an exclusive behind-the-scenes pic from the set (thanks, WB!).
David Yates, Director:
1. On how the sequel blends multiple genres: “The script is a very interesting synthesis between a sort of political thriller and love story. So it’s a sort of fusion of genres, if you like, which I think makes it quite unique in this series of films that we’ve been making based on [J.K. Rowling‘s] work.”
2. On the movie’s politically-relevant themes: “What’s slightly scary is they’re becoming more relevant now. So– and what’s wonderful is that, you know, we’re making a movie that will be seen by millions of people and millions of young people, and we’re making a story that celebrates tolerance, acceptance of the other, and sort of be cynical when people pretend they have all the answers at a simplistic level, because they probably don’t.”
WB
3. On how Jude Law takes over the role of Dumbledore: “We’re seeing Dumbledore as a young man and Dumbledore as a young man is quite a rebel. He’s far from perfect. He’s a inspiring teacher. All the pupils love him. But as ever, being Dumbledore, he’s a wonderful manipulator and he has this incredible ability to sort of maneuver people into situations that they may not want to be maneuvered into. And Jude brings this amazing freshness and sexiness and- and sensuality and sort of wit and sort of charisma to the role.”
4. On why it was important to feature Hogwarts: “It was something that evolved in the development process. Because we were introducing Dumbledore, it felt right to bring that world back into this one. We’re there very briefly. You know, right in the middle of the movie, we go back from about ten minutes to Hogwarts and see it in 1927. It was a very organic natural part of the development process that took us back there.”
(L-r) Director DAVID YATES, CALLUM TURNER and EDDIE REDMAYNE on the set of Warner Bros. Pictures’ fantasy adventure “FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo by Jaap Buitendijk
Eddie Redmayne:
5. On Newt’s ties to other Harry Potter characters: “In the first film, you sort of saw reference or references made to a couple of characters, one of which was Dumbledore and Newt’s relationship with Dumbledore. And the other was Leta Lestrange, and one of the things that most excited me about this script is seeing how those two characters, along with my brother, Theseus, played by Callum Turner, how they come into the world, and really this new world of ‘Fantastic Beasts’ is aligned and kind of joined into the Potter lore that we all know about.”
WB
6. On why Newt and Tina have relationship troubles: “It’s not so much a falling out [laughs] as a misunderstanding. [laughs] You know, at the end of the last film, Newt was going home to write his book, but was desperate to come back. And when you meet him at the top of this film, he’s still desperate to come back. Through various miscommunications.”
7. On the sequel’s physical comedy: “The action ends up in Paris, where the major part of the film takes place. And there is a point in the movie where Jacob and Newt meet up and it’s quite clear they have to go on an adventure to Paris. And so, there’s that element and Dan [Fogler‘s] genius, which was one of the things I enjoyed most about the first film, how Jo had written Jacob, but then, Dan taking it to another level through improvising and playing. And there’s so much of that and I love it because, you know, he always described it as sort of this Laurel and Hardy-style kind of relationship. But it was unlike anything I’d ever had to play and it’s been really wonderful.”
8. On how the sequel raises the stakes: “I think the interesting thing is that this film takes it to… you really get inside the psychology of the characters more and it’s a darker place. You can sort of get a sense of what’s coming historically in the Muggle world at the time and certainly the wizarding world. There are elements that are reflecting that and with the rise of Grindelwald and this sort of greater evil… the stakes are higher.”
Colleen Atwood, Costume Designer:
9. On designing young Dumbledore’s outfit: “Dumbledore was sort of vaguely purplish tones in the Potters, so I backed into that but I didn’t use purple; I used grays and softer tones that were very approachable. His clothes kinda have a soft texture so they feel lived in and- and at the same time, you know, a little bit different than what everyone else in the school would wear, like more approachable. He has a great coat that everybody loved; he has a big corduroy overcoat that he wears for a scene in the fog. And Jude looks great, he’s a great-looking man, so it doesn’t hurt.”
WB
10. On redesigning Newt’s costume: “He’s done a little better in the world on the outside. His clothes are a little bit nicer quality; they’re not quite as rumply; they’re a little more urban I’d say. He’s written a book and he’s become acknowledged for who he is. And what I did is, I took a gray fabric that I found that I had woven for the film ‘cause I found an old piece and then the mill luckily reproduced it for me and then we just wanted a little bit of a hint of blue, so I did a screen over it of little, tiny blue dots so — in some of the light — you catch kinda the old blue; it’s pretty subtle.”
11. On working with Johnny Depp again: “I’ve dressed Johnny a lot in my life in different things and he always has, you know, a certain style and something he brings to the table as an actor. He has a physicality that works great in costume because he just kind of owns it quite easily… I sort of brought it to him and he was like “Yes, let’s do this.” And then he has a look at the end that’s quite unique that we worked on together. We’re camera testing him the end of the week so we’ll see how it all flies.”
Ezra Miller:
12. On how his character, Credence, and his journey evolves in the sequel: “I would say that he is both free and burdened in new ways. Obviously, there is an element of self-awareness that brings both of those factors into play. So he’s free from a lot of the confines that he’s known, and he’s free of a certain sense of uncertainty. But with the consciousness of his reality comes also heavy burdens, and obviously, he’s a bit of a ticking time bomb, given his particular magical condition. And there is a burden that comes in the form of a burning need to know more about who he actually is and to understand the roots that he’s growing from, because obviously he’s had a very fragmented experience up to this point.”
13. On the relationship between Credence and Grindelwald: “I definitely felt that a lot of the exploration with Credence revolved around the idea of abuse and some of the different ways that trauma can happen to a young person. I definitely see that in a lot of the exploration of Credence. Something interesting about this idea of light and dark magic, and it’s alluded to — it’s said many times in this series that love is a form of light magic, right? And so Grindelwald’s manipulation of love, targeting that deficit that he could perceive in Credence is a form of abuse. You could also say it’s a form of dark magic to wield power over that human need.”
14. On how much the cast know about the future direction of the series: “Sometimes we’re given glimpses into the crystal ball by, you know, the metaphorical Professor Trelawny. Sometimes we do get a little bit of divination going… But there’s definitely a lot that we do not know. There’s a lot that no one knows except for J.K. Rowling. You know what I mean? At all times it’s amazing. It creates actually a really dynamic experience of making a series of movies. I find it really engaging, and I think everyone’s sort of along for the ride, anxious to know more about the story that we’re all telling together.”
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” hits theaters on November 16, 2018.
“The Theory of Everything” stars are reuniting for “The Aeronauts,” which just started filming in the U.K.
Amazon Studios released the first photo, along with details on the film and the stunt work the actors are doing themselves.
Here’s the film synopsis:
“Set in 1862, ‘The Aeronauts’ follow wealthy young widow Amelia Wren (Felicity Jones) and ambitious scientist James Glaisher (Eddie Redmayne) as they mount a balloon expedition to fly higher than anyone in history. This is a journey to the very edge of existence, where the air is thin and the chances of survival are slim. As their perilous ascent reveals their true selves, this unlikely pair discover things about each other – and themselves – that help them find their place in the world they have left behind.”
Check out the beautiful first photo:
Amazon Studios
Producer Todd Lieberman shared details on the photo, and plans for more balloon work:
“A top priority for us on ‘The Aeronauts’ is authenticity. With that in mind, we intend to do as much balloon filming in the sky as the weather will allow. This image was taken after we launched Felicity and Eddie 2,000 feet in the air, performing their scripted scene, while a helicopter captured it all. We’re fortunate that Felicity and Eddie have the nerve to do these stunts themselves as it authenticates our entire approach.”
Good for them. Looks fun, too, if you aren’t afraid of heights.
Tom Harper is directing the film, which also stars Tom Courtenay, Anne Reid, Rebecca Front, Tim McInnery, Phoebe Fox, and Himesh Patel.
No release date has been revealed at this point. Cross your fingers that Mother Nature provides perfect balloon filming weather throughout the production.
The first “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” film opened up an entirely new window into the Wizarding World, and all of the awesome magical creatures that populate it. And the next flick will feature even more new critters to obsess over, beginning with perhaps the cutest yet.
The little furball is insanely tiny, sailing in front of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) while clutching onto what looks like a champagne cork that’s flying across the room. That’s just the beginning of the trouble these critters can cause, according to EW, which says they are “just as mischievous as their parents.”
“They’re wreaking havoc,” Redmayne told EW of the litter of newborn Nifflers he’s attempting to contain.
That sounds positively adorable, and we are here for it. There will be plenty more new beasts in round two of the series, too, and we can’t wait to see all them in action.
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” is due in theaters on November 16.
Today during Warner Bros’ panel at San Diego Comic Con a new trailer for “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” debuted and it is pretty darn magical. We’ll just let you watch for yourself, but this one looks bigger, more stylish, and scarier than the first film, with a winning cast (including Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Jude Law, Zoe Kravitz and, yes, a certifiably nutzo Johnny Depp) exploring even further corners of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World. In short: we can’t wait.
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” opens on November 16th.
We’re heading back to the wizarding world in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” and it sounds like there will be a lot more than just magical creatures and a battle between good and evil.
Eddie Redmayne recently opened up to EW about the upcoming sequel, and he had some gems to share. In fact, he alluded to a possible love triangle involving his character, Newt Scamander. We got a glimpse into the wizard’s romantic past in “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” when Newt talked to Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol) about a photo he carried in his suitcase of Leta Lestrange (Zoe Kravitz), but it sounds like we’ll soon learn a lot more.
Redmayne explained to EW that there was “definitely great love” in the relationship and that Leta “touched [Newt] hugely.” However, he shared he doesn’t know whether or not it was ever “a full-blown relationship.” Whatever it was, though, it’s going to get interesting.
“At the beginning of this film you realize she’s now in a relationship with Newt’s brother so, of course, that comes with great complications,” Redmayne said of “The Crimes of Grindelwald.”
Leta is more than just the girlfriend of Theseus Scamander (Callum Turner); the two are engaged, according to Pottermore. That could certainly make things interesting. Although Redmaye didn’t explicitly state that there would be a love triangle, it definitely sounds like all the ingredients are potentially there.
We’ll find out before 2018 is over. “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Gindelwald” is due out Nov. 16.
It’s gonna take a village of wizards to take down this villain.
The first trailer for “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” hit Twitter today. Eddie Redmayne returns to star in the sequel as magizoologist Newt Scamander. This time, he takes his adventures to Europe, where he’s sent by Hogwarts professor Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) to track down the recently escaped dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp).
Newt’s friends from the first movie — Tina (Katherine Waterston), Queenie (Alison Sudol), and Jacob (Dan Fogler) — are also in for the hunt. But they soon realize just how dangerous and powerful Grindelwald really is, not to mention the fact that he’s raising an army of pure-blooded wizards to rule over all non-magical beings.
It’s gonna take a village of wizards to take down this villain.