This Saturday, April 16, fans can finally return to the Wizarding World with the release of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore! In the third film of the franchise, Albus Dumbledore seeks the help of Magizoologist Newt Scamander in leading a team of witches, wizards, and one muggle to stop Gellert Grindelwald from seizing control of the world of magic.
While we’re all waiting to see their epic battles on the big screen, we’ve rounded up five facts about the film and its main characters. Check them out below:
1. J.K. Rowling spent 3 hours sharing Dumbledore’s secrets with Jude Law.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Dumbledore actor Jude Law recalled how the author of the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises shared with him everything about the character.
“I think one of the beautiful moments in preparation was working with J.K. Rowling. I spent an afternoon when she gave me the entire history of this great character. I remember she went in and she was having tea. She had these incredible heels on. She said ‘OK, if you don’t mind I’m going to stand up.’ And she stood up for nearly three hours and just walked up and down, talked, talked — and it just came out, it’s just living in her,” the actor said.
2. A different Grindelwald in each film.
In case you didn’t know, Mads Mikkelsen takes over the role of Grindelwald in the latest ‘Fantastic Beasts’ film, after Johnny Depp had to depart from the franchise. This was due to Depp losing a legal battle involving a British tabloid and the controversy surrounding his marriage with Amber Heard. This is not the first time that Grindelwald switched actors though. The first film from the franchise featured Colin Farrell as Grindelwald, before his real face–Depp’s face– was revealed near its ending.
3. Bathilda Bagshot’s connection with Dumbledore and Grindelwald.
Harry Potter fans would recall Bathilda Bagshot as the author of A History of Magic, who was murdered and used by Voldemort as the host for his pet snake Nagini in order to deceive Harry. Besides being a respected historian, Bathilda also played a huge part in the crossing of Dumbledore and Grindelwald’s paths. After being impressed with Albus’s paper in Transfiguration, Bathilda became acquainted with the Dumbledores. She then introduced Albus to her equally talented great-nephew, Gellert Grindelwald. Friendship will come naturally to the two afterward.
4. Dumbledore and Grindelwald’s complicated relationship.
For the uninitiated, this may come as a surprise, but it’s been known since 2007 that Albus Dumbledore is gay, after author J.K. Rowling revealed it to fans of the Harry Potter franchise. In fact, Dumbledore and Grindelwald were former lovers, but the latter’s descent into darkness prompted a falling out between the two. While this was only subtly shown in the films so far, it might just be further explored in the third title from the Fantastic Beasts franchise.
5. Luna Lovegood and Newt Scamander’s grandchild married.
Another fun fact that overlaps between the Harry Potter franchise and the Fantastic Beasts franchise is that Newt Scamander’s grandson, Rolf Scamander, married the fan-favorite Luna Lovegood. While the Harry Potter films sparked romance between Luna and Neville Longbottom, the books didn’t really confirm a romantic relationship between the two characters. While not much information was really revealed about Rolf, Luna’s love for magical creatures, which also led her to a career in Magizoology, is most likely what brought her and Rolf Scamander together.
Don’t miss Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore on the big screen! Buy your tickets here and enjoy a more convenient cinema experience on your next trip to the movie theaters!
