The time that many have been waiting for is nearly here! On November 18th, the movie "Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them" will premiere in theaters nationwide, with some earlier late-night showings the day before. Many longtime and diehard fans of the "Harry Potter" franchise, as well as new followers, are eager to see the film, and it is highly likely that - during midnight showings, on the day of the premiere and even the few days following - you might see fans donning wizard robes and carrying wands to celebrate.
For those who are new to the franchise, and even for some who aren't, here are a few facts about the upcoming film to keep in mind.
1. The film takes place in 1926...54 years before Harry Potter's birth.
What should we call that? 54 B.H.P. (Before Harry Potter)?
2. The film is based on a book that J.K. Rowling wrote in 2001 before she finished writing the Harry Potter series.
The book, however, was written in the form of an actual textbook that a student at Hogwarts would actually need for their classes. The one that is sold is Harry Potter's exclusive copy, which includes notes and highlights that he made while reading.
3. On that note, this film is also J.K. Rowling's screenwriting debut.
Since this film is based on an idea from a "textbook" rather than a piece of literature - with numerous characters and dialogue like the Harry Potter series - Rowling took on the task of writing her first screenplay for the film. This can be a good thing, in many ways, as now there is no need to compare the book and the movie since the only similarity are the creatures we may see!
4. Newt Scamander, the main protagonist of the film, was a Hufflepuff.
He never graduated from Hogwarts, however, as he was expelled for apparently "endangering a human life with a beast." Welp.
5. The whole film takes place in New York.
Manhattan, to be exact.
6. Newt Scamander never makes an appearance in the main Harry Potter franchise - he is only mentioned.
He is mentioned in the first film, The Sorcer's/Philosopher's Stone, while Harry is purchasing his textbooks, which included "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them". However, some eagle-eyed fans noticed that in the third Harry Potter film - The Prisoner of Azkaban - the name "Newt Scamander" appeared on the Maurader's Map. Why this was has yet to be determined. Some theorize that maybe he was there to visit his grandson Rolf Scamander, who attended Hogwarts along with Harry, but the true reason has yet to be revealed. The map never lies...
7. No "Ministry of Magic" but instead, a "Magical Congress"
Magical Congress of the United States, established in 1693 and otherwise known as "MACUSA", is the American equivalent to the Ministry of Magic in Britain. Their headquarters are located in the Woolworth building, which is an actual skyscraper in Manhattan, New York City, built in 1913.
8. The score for the film will be composed by James Newton Howard.
Don't recognize his name? He is also the composer for "The Dark Night" and "The Hunger Games" franchise.
9. There was a total of around 11,000 extras cast for the film.
That's a lot of people, but honestly, who wouldn't want to be a part of a production like this?
10. Muggles are "No-Majs"
It seems like we'll be struggling right along with Newt to get used to this culture difference.
11. Not Hogwarts, Ilvermorny!
The school is located in Mount Greylock in modern-day Massachusetts and was founded in 17th century by Isolt Sayre, an Irish witch and descendant of Salazar Slytherin, and her muggle - "no-maj", sorry - husband, James Stuart. Like Hogwarts, the school divides students into four houses - Thunderbird, Horned Serpent, Pukwudgie and Wampus. Unlike Hogwarts, there is no sorting hat to choose what house a student is placed in. Instead, they are placed using enchanted wooden carvings of each house, which react accordingly depending on what house the student belongs. For more information, see here!
12. The movie's events and conflicts coincide with actual American history, like the Salem Witch trials.
The trials, which took place in the 1690s, are used as a reason why wizards in the U.S. are on high alert when it comes to possibly revealing themselves as magical.
13. The first Fantastic Beasts book (in the Harry Potter world) was published in 1927, a year after the film.
By the time Harry Potter comes to Hogwarts, the book is in its 57th edition!
14. The film is not aimed towards children.
All of the main characters are adults, and while there may be children in the film, they are primarily extras in the background.
15. This movie is only the first of FIVE movies J.K. Rowling has planned.
In fact, director David Yates revealed that Rowling has already written the screenplay for the second film, an outline for the third, and already has strong ideas for where the other two films will go. Damn.
How excited are you for the film?
