Earlier in the week Entertainment Weekly gave us our first look at Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and now the site has some story details for the Harry Potter spinoff, along with descriptions for the main characters.
Eccentric magizoologist Newt Scamander (Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne) comes to New York with his trusty weathered case. This case is one of those way-way-way-bigger-on-the-inside magical devices, and within are expansive habitats for a collection of rare and endangered magical creatures from Newt’s travels around globe. He discovers the American wizarding community is fearfully hiding from Muggles (who are called “No-Maj” in the States, more on that here) and the threat of public exposure is an even graver concern than in the UK (remember the Salem witch trials?). Fantastic Beasts is the story of what happens when this uniquely skilled English wizard travels to wiz-phobic America and a variety of his creatures, some quite dangerous … get out of their case.
Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander
An eccentric globe-hopping English “magizoologist” wizard who’s far more comfortable around beasts and creatures than he is around other people. Comes to New York on a quest with his case full of magical habitats containing rare and endangered species.
Katherine Waterston as Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein
An ambitious worker at the Magical Congress of the United States of America (aka MACUSA, the U.S. version of the Ministry of Magic) who meets Newt. Tina is relegated to an office well below her abilities after she stood up for the wrong person. She longs to fight for what’s right.
Alison Sudol as Queenie Goldstein
Tina’s younger sister and roommate, a big-hearted free-spirit “legilimens” who can read minds.
Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski
An optimistic No-Maj (aka Muggle) factory worker/aspiring baker who gets introduced to the wizarding world when he meets Newt. Fun fact: He’s the Harry Potter franchise’s first Muggle main character.
Colin Farrell as Graves
A powerful auror and the right-hand man of the American wizarding world’s president.
Samantha Morton as Mary Lou
The narrow-minded leader of the fanatical Second Salemers, a group looking to expose and destroy wizards and witches.
Ezra Miller as Credence
Perhaps the cast’s most mysterious character. He’s Mary Lou’s troubled adopted son.
Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them is set for release on November 18th, 2016 and sees Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl) starring alongside Colin Farrell (The Lobster), Katherine Waterston (Queen of Earth), Ezra Miller (The Flash), Dan Fogler (Barely Lethal), Samantha Morton (Control), Jon Voight (Midnight Cowboy), Carmen Ejogo (Selma), Ron Perlman (Sons of Anarchy) and Gemma Chan (Humans). David Yates, who helmed the final four Harry Potter films, returns to direct.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng&v=yHzlEE7WgV0
Originally published November 7, 2015. Updated March 2, 2020.
