Villains
and heroes: How 'Fantastic Beasts' mines 'Potter' world
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[November 18, 2016]
By Piya Sinha-Roy
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) -
Confused about how new movie "Fantastic Beasts and Where
to Find Them," out on Friday, may connect to the Harry
Potter world? Who is new wizard hero Newt Scamander? Why
does Grindelwald sound familiar?
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You can find many answers in your Hogwarts books, as author
J.K. Rowling takes the groundwork from her "Harry Potter"
stories to carve out a new film franchise.
Who is Newt Scamander?
Born in 1897, Newt Artemis Fido Scamander is a British
magizoologist whose arrival in New York in 1926 sets in motion a
plot that will span five films and 19 years.
Scamander's "Fantastic Beasts" encyclopedia of magical creatures
was first published in 1927. He later established the werewolf
registry and in 1965, was behind the ban of experimental
breeding of magical creatures - something that Hogwarts' beloved
gamekeeper Hagrid ignored in the Potter stories.
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Unrest in the Magical World
Rowling's 100-page "Fantastic Beasts" reference book, published
in 2001, explained why the discovery of magical creatures by
non-magical humans poses a threat to the wizarding world.
Wizards and witches live in hiding among non-magic folk (Muggles
or No-Majs), with whom they are not allowed to have
relationships. In the new film, anti-magic sentiment grows among
No-Majs as the wizarding world is divided about whether or not
to stay in hiding.
Dumbledore vs Grindelwald
If the name Grindelwald rings a bell, that's because he is a
famous Dark Wizard from Germany who preceded the villainous
Voldemort from the Potter stories.
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In "Harry Potter," we heard of Gellert Grindelwald and Albus
Dumbledore's teenage friendship that turned acrimonious over a
disagreement on whether the wizarding community should keep their
existence secret from the non-magical world. The two became enemies,
culminating in a duel in 1945.
Grindelwald is introduced in "Fantastic Beasts." With Johnny Depp
cast as Grindelwald and a young Dumbledore confirmed for the sequel,
this story is likely to be crucial in the upcoming films.
The Strange Case of the Lestranges
In the "Fantastic Beasts" movie, a mysterious woman named Leda
Lestrange is mentioned as having captured and broken Newt
Scamander's heart. While Leda is a new character, we know of
Rodolphus and Bellatrix Lestrange from the Potter stories, both
deranged devotees of Voldemort. The Lestranges are an ancient
wizarding family that believe in keeping magic among pure-bloods.
Scamander hints that his relationship with Leda was affected by her
changing behavior.
(Reporting by Piya Sinha-Roy; Editing by Jill Serjeant)
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