Moviefone Editorial

Tag: fantastic-beasts

  • ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Will Be Like ‘Goblet of Fire,’ ‘Harry Potter’ Producer Says

    As if news about “Harry Potter” prequel “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” wasn’t already exciting enough, there’s even more for Potterheads to celebrate: The flick is heavily influenced by the tone of previous “Potter” outing “Goblet of Fire.”

    David Heyman, a longtime producer on the “Potter” series who’s also executive producing “Fantastic Beasts,” said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that director Mike Newell‘s entry in the franchise is the “Potter” flick most similar to “Beasts.”

    “[‘Fantastic Beasts’ has] got the charm of the fourth,” Heyman told EW. ” … [I]t’s got the humor of that film. It has the romantic comedy, that fish-out-of-water humor, that very human, natural character comedy.”

    But if fans are expecting an all-laughter, all the time experience, they’ll be disappointed. As Heyman explained to EW, “Beasts” director David Yates has plans to balance the lighter themes with heavier ones.

    ” … David is always looking for truthful, human moments, it’s never just a gag, he’s grounding [the storytelling moments] in a reality,” Heyman said. “[‘Beasts’] is very funny, it’s got a big heart, and there’s darkness too.”

    Sounds spectacular.

    “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is due in theaters on November 18, 2016.

    [via: Entertainment Weekly]

    Photo credit: Warner Bros.

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  • These 7 Magical Creatures May Star in ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’

    harry potter, merpeople, fantastic beasts, fantastic beasts and where to find themAfter months of not knowing much (or really, anything) about “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” Entertainment Weekly busted open the floodgates this week with tons of scoop about the hotly-anticipated “Harry Potter” prequel. Now, the magazine has shared even more intel about the types of titular creatures audiences can expect to see onscreen.

    “Fantastic Beasts” centers around magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), who travels the globe collecting and chronicling magical creatures for his textbook (which also shares its name with the flick). According to EW, the film is still in production and the list of beasts is still being finalized, but there are currently seven creatures that are considered likely to appear in the finished film.

    They include beasts first mentioned in J.K. Rowling‘s “Potter” books, as well as those featured in her 2001 version of the “Fantastic Beasts” book — but EW says that “there might even be a creature that even the most devoted Harry Potter fan has never heard of” that pops up in the production. We can’t wait. Below, here’s the breakdown of what creatures crowds can (probably) expect to see onscreen next November. (As with EW’s list, we’ve added some more intel from the Harry Potter wiki for each entry.)

    Niffler: A creature attracted to shiny objects, used by Goblins to find treasure; they’re typically gentle beasts, but can cause trouble — and some bites — when on the lookout for valuables. Newt keeps one as a pseudo pet, and Redmayne told EW the creature was one of his favorites. “They have this wonderful love-hate relationship,” Redmayne said of Newt and his Niffler. “He’s incredibly aggravating and wonderful at same time. He’s a complete nightmare, yet Newt gets off on his playfulness and single-mindedness.”

    Ashwinder: A serpent that forms from the ashes of a magical fire that’s been left to burn too long. Their red-hot eggs can burn down houses — and they answer to Parseltongue. Not a great combination.

    Lethifold: Aggressive, violent, and deadly, it resembles a black, rippling cloth and glides along the ground. It targets its victims at night, suffocating them in their sleep; the only known defense is a Patronus (just like with Dementors).

    Augurey: An Irish phoenix with green-black feathers whose cry signifies coming rain. (Though it was once suspected of also predicting imminent death.)

    Bowtruckle: Introduced in “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” the hand-sized bowtruckle resembles sticks and bark, and lives in trees. It fiercely defends its residence, and its twig-like fingers have been known to scratch out a few eyes. According to EW, “This particular one lives in Newt’s pocket.”

    Crup: A wizard-bred dog that resembles a Jack Russell Terrier, with one key difference: This pooch has a forked tail. It’s fiercely loyal to its magical owners, but ferocious toward muggles (or no-majs, if you prefer).

    Merpeople: Glimpsed in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” (above), Rowling’s take on the sea creatures is a bit more violent that the singing specimens found in “The Little Mermaid.” The ones Harry saw had gray skin, green hair, yellow eyes, and were crazy frightening. According to “HP” lore, though, there are many different varieties of these creatures, with wildly varying looks and personalities. The prettier, Ariel-like sirens live in warmer climates, while selkies dwell in the colder waters near Harry and his friends in the U.K. All mermaids appear to enjoy music, though, something these ones have in common with Disney’s version.

    “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” hits theaters on November 18, 2016.

    [via: Entertainment Weekly]

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  • ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ Title Design Is Toothy Fun

    fantastic beasts and where to find them, fantastic beasts, title design, logoWe’re still more than a year away from the release of “Harry Potter” spinoff “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” but that doesn’t mean we’re not insanely excited to see more of J.K. Rowling‘s magical world. Now, the flick has revealed its first image: its toothy title design.

    The image, which debuted on Entertainment Weekly, is as instantly iconic for the new “Beasts” series as the lightning bolt-centric title design was for the “Harry Potter” series. The font features teeth jutting out of several letters, and a large, twisted “S” smack dab in the middle, which resembles a serpent or dragon; both touches are a nice nod to protagonist Newt Scamander’s job as a magizoologist (a.k.a. someone who studies magical creatures).

    The prominent placement of the “Fantastic Beasts” lettering in the logo also suggests that that wording will stick with the franchise throughout the planned trilogy, with “and Where to Find Them” eventually getting replaced by future films’ subtitles. The series could also adopt a “Twilight” or “Hunger Games“-style title format, with “Fantastic Beasts” appearing in the name, followed by a colon and the full title.

    If it seems like this is a lot of speculation and excitement over a measly few words, let us remind you again of just who and what we’re dealing with here: This is a new story set in the same world as “Harry Potter” (it takes place 70 years prior to the events of “Sorcerer’s Stone”); it’s written by Rowling herself and directed by longtime “Potter” helmer David Yates; and it features a sprawling, star-studded cast that includes Eddie Redmayne, Colin Farrell, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Ezra Miller, Samantha Morton, Jon Voight, Ron Perlman, Gemma Chan, and Carmen Ejogo. Need we say more?

    “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is due in theaters on November 18, 2016. In case you couldn’t tell, we can’t wait.

    [via: Entertainment Weekly]

    Photo credit: Entertainment Weekly

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  • ‘Sons of Anarchy’ Star Ron Perlman Joins ‘Fantastic Beasts’

    Amazon Video's 67th Primetime Emmy CelebrationActor Ron Perlman is making the switch from a Son of Anarchy to a goblin: Perlman has reportedly joined “Harry Potter” spinoff “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, Perlman has just signed on to the production. Though there were no plot details divulged — they’ve been harder to crack than a Gringotts vault — sources tell the trade that Perlman will play a goblin in the flick.

    Perlman recently starred for several years on FX motorcycle drama “Sons of Anarchy,” but has spent plenty of time in the fantasy realm, too. He led the “Beauty and the Beast” from 1987 through 1990.

    That experience should come in handy in “Beasts,” which stars Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, a magizoologist who studies magical creatures of the wizarding world, and writes the titular textbook, which is later used by Harry and his pals at Hogwarts. The flick also stars Colin Farrell, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Ezra Miller, and Samantha Morton; Jon Voight, Gemma Chan, and Carmen Ejogo were also all recently cast.

    “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is due to cast a spell on moviegoers on November 18, 2016.

    [via: The Hollywood Reporter]

    Photo credit: Getty Images

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  • Jon Voight Joins ‘Harry Potter’ Spinoff ‘Fantastic Beasts’

    SHOWTIME And HBO VIP Pre-Fight Party For "Mayweather VS Pacquiao"The eclectic cast of “Harry Potter” spinoff “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” keeps growing, and this time, an Oscar winner is joining the ranks.

    According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jon Voight has been added to the ensemble in an undisclosed role. He joins fellow Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne, who’s playing protagonist Newt Scamander, a magizoologist who penned the titular tome, a textbook used by Hogwarts students in the “Potter” series.

    In addition to Voight’s casting, THR also has the scoop that two other actresses have also been cast. They are Humans,” and Carmen Ejogo, who starred in “Selma.” Like Voight, their roles are being kept under wraps for now.

    The script for “Fantastic Beasts” is being penned by “Potter” author J.K. Rowling, and while there have been no real plot details divulged yet, Rowling did tease on Twitter that the American version of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will be featured in some way in the flick. “Beasts” takes place in New York City approximately 70 years before the events of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”

    “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” also stars Colin Farrell, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Ezra Miller, and Samantha Morton. It’s due in theaters on November 18, 2016.

    [via: The Hollywood Reporter]

    Photo credit: Getty Images for SHOWTIME

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  • Alison Sudol Lands Key Role in ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’

    "Dig" Series New York Series PremiereThe ensemble of upcoming “Harry Potter” spinoff “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is shaping up nicely, with another key role cast.

    Transparent” and “Dig.”

    Now, Sudol will star alongside Katherine Waterston (who just nabbed the part of main love interest Tina) as a pair of sisters living in New York City who meet magizoologist Newt Scamander on his quest to document magical species across the globe for the film’s titular textbook. Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne is playing Scamander in the story, set some 70 years before the events of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.”

    According to Variety’s report, Sudol and Waterston both tested for the part of Queenie, before Waterston was tapped to play Tina instead. They both beat out a bevvy of actresses vying for the roles.

    Another interesting beat from Variety’s story is that an additional main male role still needs to be cast, and two high-profile actors are currently in contention. Both Josh Gad and John Krasinski are reportedly in the mix to play a character called Jacob, and producers are expected to make a decision in the next few days.

    Combine this stellar ensemble with the intrigue over the location of the American Hogwarts, and the existing magic of “Potter,” and “Fantastic Beasts” definitely has the potential to live up to its superlative title. We can’t wait.

    “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is due in theaters on November 18, 2016.

    [via: Variety]

    Photo credit: Getty Images

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  • Katherine Waterston Nabs Female Lead in ‘Fantastic Beasts’

    2015 Film Independent Spirit Awards - ArrivalsAfter several weeks of speculation about the actresses in the running for two key roles in the upcoming “Harry Potter” spinoff “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” one of those parts has officially been cast.

    Katherine Waterston, who turned heads last year in “Inherent Vice,” has landed the female leading role opposite star Eddie Redmayne, where she’ll be playing a witch name Tina (and yes, that’s short for Porpentina, a.k.a. the woman Redmayne’s character, Newt Scamander, ends up marrying, according to “Potter” universe lore). In the film, Tina meets Newt in New York City while the magizoologist is touring the United States on his quest to document magical creatures around the globe for his textbook, which gives the flick its name.

    Waterston reportedly beat out a bevvy of other actresses for the juicy role, including True Detective”), and Alison Sudol (“Transparent”). Earlier reports indicated that she was instead vying for the role of Tina’s older sister, Queenie, which has yet to be cast. Actresses reportedly under consideration for that part include Kate Upton and Elizabeth Debicki (“The Great Gatsby“).

    “Katherine Waterston is a rising star, who was a revelation in our film ‘Inherent Vice,’ earning the praise of both critics and audiences. We are thrilled to have her back in the Warner Bros. family, especially in one of our most anticipated titles for 2016, ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,’” said Warner Bros. exec Greg Silverman in a statement announcing the casting.

    Perhaps Tina was the person J.K. Rowling alluded to that was educated at the American Hogwarts, rumored to be at least mentioned (if not seen) in “Beasts”? We can only speculate at this point, but we’re hopeful for more answers about the mysterious magical world of the U.S.

    “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is due in theaters on November 18, 2016.

    [via: TheWrap]

    Photo credit: Getty Images

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  • The American Hogwarts Will Be Part of ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’

    Inside The Harry Potter Experience At Leavesden StudiosAmerica has been mostly absent from “Harry Potter” lore, lurking in the background of the Potterverse without much definition since the British series’s debut. But now, the U.S. is taking center stage in the upcoming spinoff flick, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” and with it comes news that we’re finally going to find out about Hogwarts’s American counterpart.

    That word comes straight from “Potter” mastermind and “Beasts” screenwriter J.K. Rowling, who took to Twitter to answer fans’ queries about the place where Stateside witches and wizards get their magical schooling. And while Rowling didn’t reveal much, the few hints she dropped should tantalize moviegoers.

    “Fantastic Beasts” centers around magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and takes place in New York City many decades before the events of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” When one fan asked if that meant that Scamander would be attending the U.S. version of Hogwarts in NYC, Rowling said no — but offered a couple other hints about the film’s plot.

    “(H)e’s going to meet people who were educated at [name] in [not New York],” Rowling wrote. When pressed by another fan about whether that school had Native American origins, Rowling coyly confirmed that yes, it will — though its name would not be a Native American one.


    That’s not much to parse, but let’s try anyway. First, we know that the flick will focus on Scamander as a young man (hence Redmayne’s casting), and perhaps will involve him meeting his future wife, Porpentina. Industry reports suggest that the flick is casting the roles of sisters Queenie and Tina (short for Porpentina, perhaps?), so maybe the sisters are the people that Scamander meets who’ve been educated at Hogwarts: American Edition?

    As for the hints about Native American influence, that’s bit more difficult to pin down, since tribes have settlements throughout the country, in places as spread out as the Southwest and upstate New York. Perhaps that latter location makes the most sense for “Fantastic Beasts,” since it offers proximity to New York City.

    The lilywhite casting so far — which includes potential leads such as Dakota Fanning and Kate Upton — suggests that none of the main characters will be of Native descent, though there are still reportedly two male roles that need to be filled. Stay tuned to see how this information factors into the finished film.

    “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is due in theaters on November 18, 2016.

    [via: J.K. Rowling, h/t Vanity Fair]

    Photo credit: Getty Images

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  • These 7 Actresses Are Vying for Roles in ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’

    EXPRESS Spring Fling Event With Kate Upton, Union Square, San FranciscoThere’s still plenty of secrecy surrounding “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” the “Harry Potter” spinoff centered around mysterious magizoologist Newt Scamander. Now, a new report suggests that some familiar faces are up for two key roles in the flick.

    True Detective”), and Alison Sudol (“Transparent”) to potentially play Tina; Kate Upton, Katherine Waterston (“Inherent Vice“), and Elizabeth Debicki (“The Great Gatsby“) are in contention for the part of older sister Queenie.

    Eddie Redmayne has already been cast as Scamander, author of the flick’s titular textbook, which was used by Hogwarts students in the “Harry Potter” series. “Fantastic Beasts” purportedly follows Scamander to New York, and takes place about six decades prior to the events of “Potter.”

    While J.K. Rowling‘s script for the film is finished (marking her screenwriting debut), not much is known about the plot of “Beasts.” But Vanity Fair points out that Rowling herself has left some clues about who Tina and Queenie are: Scamander married a woman named Porpentina (perhaps Tina for short?), meaning Ronan, Fanning, Simmons, and Sudol could be vying for the part of Redmayne’s love interest.

    Studio Warner Bros. declined to comment on TheWrap’s report, though the site writes that several of the actresses already have screen tests scheduled, and are slated to read for the roles opposite Redmayne. That process is expected to begin sometime in the next week.

    Stay tuned to see if any more casting announcements are made.

    “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is slated to hit theaters on November 18, 2016.

    [via: TheWrap, h/t Vanity Fair]

    Photo credit: Steve Jennings via Getty Images

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  • Eddie Redmayne Eyed for ‘Harry Potter’ Spinoff ‘Fantastic Beasts’

    87th Annual Academy Awards - Arrivals
    There have been plenty of rumors swirling around just who will play the mysterious lead in “Harry Potter” spinoff “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” and now, it looks like there’s a frontrunner for the part.

    Variety reports that Eddie Redmayne is at the top of director David Yates‘s wishlist for the role of Newt Scamander, the magizoologist and author of the titular textbook used by Hogwarts students in the “Potter” books and flicks. According to the trade, several other actors are also in the mix — including “Mad Max: Fury Road” star Nicholas Hoult — but the newly-minted Oscar winner is currently the number one choice.

    No offer to Redmayne has been made yet.

    “Fantastic Beasts” takes place 70 years before the events of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone,” and follows the adventures of Scamander in America. Variety reports that studio Warner Bros. is also looking to cast two American girls and two American boys in four leading roles.

    “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them,” written by “Potter” author J.K. Rowling in her screenwriting debut, is set for release on November 18, 2016.

    [via: Variety]

    Photo credit: Getty Images

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