Last week the Empire in Leicester Square hosted the Global Fan Event of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which was simultaneously broadcasted to theatres across the globe. Hordes of fans queued for many hours to catch a glimpse of the first 10 minutes of this hotly anticipated prequel to the Harry Potter franchise. These super-fans are aptly described so by their attention to the Harry Potter fictional universe, dressing up as characters that populate Harry Potter’s world, as opposed to the titular young wizard. In fact, many were dressed as the stars of Fantastic Beasts.
After the MC warmed up the crowd, baiting prizes and giveaways to the ultra-fans in the auditorium, and egging the crowd to cheer loudly for a film they’ve yet to see, the ever-wonderful Edith Bowman was joined on-stage with the film’s cast Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, and Dan Fogler, as well as director David Yates, producer David Heyman, and later screenwriter JK Rowling for a revealing Q&A session. Joining them via satellite were Collin Farrell and Jon Voight from the USA, also taking questions from the fans across the globe.
What this Q&A session revealed was the fundamental shift from the Potter arc that was integral to many childhoods and teen years of the millennials that filled the auditorium, who have now grown up, and are ecstatic for an expansion of the wizardry mythos, as oppose to a rehash. Or worse still, to see a contrived cash-in for Warner Bros, who are currently struggling with their critically disastrous DC Extended Universe, and to see endless sequels, prequels, “requels”, spin-offs et al, and to see their beloved franchise be driven into the ground.
No, this is a new era for the Potter universe, and for the fundamentally British characters to start reaching out to other parts of the globe. JK Rowling is making her screenwriting debut here. As the real star of the show, she dropped the biggest bomb of the night:
There will be FIVE Fantastic Beasts films, with three of them already in the works.
While that was the biggest revelation of the night, the cast and crew did reveal some information about their characters, and where the story will go.
Redmayne’s magizoologist Newt Scamander may be traveling the globe to visit various major cities. The characters from the Potter saga will also be featured in brief cameos notably, there will be one touching scene featuring Scamander, Farrell’s Percival Graves, a high-ranking Auror, and Dumbledore. Farrell revealed his characters malevolent intentions: a prejudicial scheme to attack the “No-Maj” population. Also, Graves’ grandfather may have been a wizard.
The Global Fan Event reached its climax as fans were privileged to the opening scene of Fantastic Beasts.
In 1926 New York the magizoologist Newt Scamander is traveling from London to continue his research of these fantastical beasts. However, in New York, there is a growing fear and awareness of the existence of wizards and beasts, and many New Yorkers are afraid and angry. With this foreknowledge, Scamander must keep his platypus-like Niffler under wraps, and safely locked in his briefcase (though the Niffler’s penchant for shiny things makes this a difficult task). The nerdy-introverted wizard makes his way through customs without a hitch. Outside a bank, people are protesting about the government’s lack of information regarding the strange apparitions that are occurring in the city, and wish to call upon their representatives to do something about it.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Global Fan Event was an incredible experience for any Harry Potter fan. JK Rowling in a dual role as both screenwriter and producer will put many fans at ease, knowing that she is continuing the wizard universe, and is carrying the mantle until she believes there is nothing more to tell.
