Fantastic Beasts (film series)

Fantastic Beasts is a series of films inspired by the book, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

It was originally believed that there would only be three films in the series. On 14 October 2016, J. K. Rowling announced that there will actually be five films in the series.

Titles

 * Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - released on November 18, 2016 with the screenplay released the following day.
 * 🇨🇬 - set to be released 16 November, 2018
 * Film three - set to be released 20 November, 2020, title yet to be revealed.
 * Film four - release date (likely to be in 2022) and title yet to be revealed.
 * Film five - release date (likely to be in 2024) and title yet to be revealed.

According to Eddie Redmayne, who says this information comes from director David Yates and producer David Heyman, the titles of each film in the series will begin with "Fantastic Beasts and …".

Synopsis
The plot of the first film revolves around Newton Scamander, or commonly known as Newt, a Magizoologist who arrives in New York in 1926, to stay for a brief time following a journey around the world to research creatures for his book . Newt owns a magically-expanded suitcase containing many creatures which No-Maj Jacob Kowalski inadvertently opens. When some of the creatures escape, the situation threatens the secrecy of the Wizarding world and the relationship between the magical and non magical societies in America, which is already in danger due to the New Salem Philanthropic Society. Newt battles to find the creatures with the help of Jacob and Porpentina "Tina" Goldstein before it's too late, with Percival Graves on his tail. The film take place over the course of two days.

The second film will be set in Paris in the spring and summer of 1928. It will begin to centre around Gellert Grindelwald who made a brief appearance in the first film and was considered the darkest Wizard of his time. It will also feature the return of Albus Dumbledore. Leta Lestrange who is described as complicated, damaged and confused will also be featured.

Production
On 12 September 2013, Warner Bros announced that they would be creating a film based upon the book. They also stated that J. K. Rowling would be making her screenwriting debut. Rowling was approached by Warner Bros with the idea to be the screenwriter and she later stated that she could not give up the idea and allow another writer to "realise Newt Scamander".

On 18 October, 2013, David Heyman confirmed that he would be returning as a producer, stating that it was "incredibly exciting".

On 24 March, 2014, The New York Times reported the adaptation of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be a trilogy.

On 13 May, 2014, it was announced the first film will be released on 18 November, 2016.

On 6 October, 2014, J. K. Rowling posted on Twitter the cryptic message "Cry, foe! Run amok! Fa awry! My wand won’t tolerate this nonsense." She confirmed the following day that this message was a riddle, and the solution, while not part of the script, was the first sentence of a synopsis of Newt Scamander's story. The anagram was solved later that day, with Rowling confirming the solution of "Newt Scamander only meant to stay in New York for a few hours."

On 15 October, 2014, it was announced by Warner Bros that David Yates would be directing the films and that Steve Kloves would also be producing them. Yates later confirmed that Rowling had also written the screenplay for the second film and had gotten ideas for the third. Heyman went on to confirm that Yates and Kloves had both worked with Rowling on the screenplay.

On 4 June, 2015, Warner Bros confirmed that Eddie Redmayne would be portraying Newt Scamander in the series. The rest of the cast were announced over the next few months, including Katherine Waterston as Porpentina "Tina" Goldstein and Alison Sudol as Queenie Goldstein. Dan Fogler was announced to portray Jacob Kowalski, Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone and Colin Farrell as Percival Graves.

On 17 August, 2015, principal photography began at Warner Bros Studios, Leavesden.

On 4 November 2015, Entertainment Weekly released the first official publicity shots of the film. They included pictures of the production and filming at several sets with characters Newt, Tina, and Queenie.

On 15 December 2015, the announcement trailer and teaser poster were revealed for the first film.

On 1 February 2016, a featurette showing interviews with various cast and crew members were released.

On 7 April 2016, it was officially announced that James Newton Howard had composed the score.

On 10 April 2016, a teaser trailer was released for the first film.

On 19 April 2016, it was announced a batch of new characters had been created for the film. Rowling had also creatively given input on each character and creature. On 26 April 2016, it was announced that the script of the first film would be released in book form on 19 November 2016, one day after the film is released.

On 26 April 2016, Pottermore announced that the screenplay of the first film will be published in book form.

In preparation for the film series, Rowling began placing new original writings on Pottermore detailing the History of Magic in North America. Beginning in the 1600s with the Salem Witch Trials, she delved into the next few decades, ending in 1920s America which is when the films are set. She also later revealed the American Wizarding school, Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry followed by a new Sorting quiz for the school.

On 3 August 2016, it was announced that the second film will be released on 16 November 2018 followed by the third film on 20 November 2020.

On 28 September 2016, the final trailer for the first film was released. On 7 October 2016, they also debuted the first track for the first film along with the titles of the rest of the soundtrack.

On 14 October 2016, J. K. Rowling announced at a special fan screening of the first film in London that there will actually be five films in the series. Rowling stated she always knew there was going to be more than one film and that they "said a trilogy as a kind of placeholder". However, when she plotted out the story she had created, she realised they would need five films to tell it in. David Yates also stated that the second film will be very different from the first film.

On 18 November 2016 the first film, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them premiered.

On 12 April 2017, it was announced that British actor Jude Law will play Young Albus Dumbledore in the second film, the young Hogwarts Transfiguration Professor who shares a complicated history with the series antagonist Gellert Grindelwald, played by Johnny Depp.

Cast

 * Eddie Redmayne as Newton Scamander
 * Katherine Waterston as Porpentina "Tina" Goldstein
 * Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski
 * Alison Sudol as Queenie Goldstein
 * Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone
 * Zoë Kravitz as Leta Lestrange
 * Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald
 * Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore

Notes and references
Animales fantásticos y dónde encontrarlos (serie de películas) Les Animaux fantastiques (saga) Fantastyczne zwierzęta i jak je znaleźć (seria filmów) Фантастические твари (серия фильмов) ファンタスティック・ビースト (映画シリーズ)