‘Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them:’ New Movie Poster Spotlights Eddie Redmayne As Newt Scamander
The Harry Potter universe expanded when J.K. Rowling released the 2001 book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, under the pseudonym Newt Scamander, which is now an upcoming film. On Monday, June 20, Warner Bros. Pictures released a new Fantastic Beasts movie poster that features The Danish Girl’s Eddie Redmayne dressed as Newt Scamander.
The new movie poster has Redmayne standing atop of a section of a destructed building, holding a briefcase and a glowing wand, while standing across from the train tracks in New York City. The yellow and black striped scarf that Redmayne wears in the Fantastic Beasts poster are the house colors of Hufflepuff, which is part of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where Scamander was a student.
The story takes place 54 years before Harry Potter is even born, and 30 years before Albus Dumbledore becomes headmaster of Hogwarts. In a brief voice-over in the Fantastic Beasts trailer, Colin Farrell’s character wonders why Dumbledore thinks highly of Scamander, who was apparently kicked out of Hogwarts.
Rowling, who also wrote the screenplay for the movie, created the book that talks about Scamander’s life and adventures in 1920s New York City. Scamander carries an expanded briefcase that holds dangerous, magical creatures; the briefcase has a “muggle worthy” option that hides the fantastic beasts from non-magical people.
Scamander is in New York to attend a meeting with an important official at the Magical Congress of the United States. Unfortunately, the magical creatures in the briefcase end up escaping at one point, which causes tension between the magical community and the No-Maj, the American version of non-magical people.
It’s up to Newt Scamander to retrieve the magical creatures, all the while being chased by Percival Graves, played by Farrell. Graves is a high-ranking Auror, whom are elite wizards that hunt down magical people that use spells from the Dark Arts.
Tony award-winning actor Dan Fogler plays Jacob Kowalski, a No-Maj factory worker who becomes friends with Scamander. After meeting Scamander, Kowalski is exposed to the NYC magical community.
The fantastic beasts featured in the story do not make a full appearance in the teaser trailer that was released back in April, but viewers do get a glimpse of a couple of the creatures.
It’s here! Check out the teaser trailer for #FantasticBeasts and don’t miss all the magic in theaters this November.https://t.co/HiNm3Exf3X
— Fantastic Beasts (@FantasticBeasts) April 11, 2016
The new Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them poster has been released before the Warner Bros. Fantastic Beasts special event at VidCon 2016 in Anaheim, California. The details of the sold-out event is being kept under wraps, but the event holders are left with a teasing message on the film’s official Facebook page promising that “something fantastic at #vidcon2016 is being announced soon.”
VidCon 2016 begins on June 23 and continues through June 25, with the Fantastic Beasts special event taking place on June 22. Seventeen popular vloggers will be hosting the event, and a live stream will take place on the Warner Bros. YouTube channel, according to the Fantastic Beasts official movie site.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be released worldwide on November 18, and will be available in IMAX 4K laser format and 3D theaters.
[Image via Warner Bros.]
