The Anticipation is
back! In case you missed this morning’s announcement, Warner Brothers announced
a multi film deal with J.K. Rowling to adapt her textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. Yeah! We’re headed back into
the world of Harry Potter, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. There’s no firm
date yet for when these films will see the light of day, so it’s back to
playing the waiting game. For a fan though there’s something great about the
waiting and anticipation of what’s coming next. The fact that we’re getting something new, especially on this subject matter, totally blindsided even the most hardcore of Potter fans!
Rowling’s
announcement this morning reads like this “Although it will be
set in the worldwide community of witches and wizards where I was so happy for
seventeen years, ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ is neither a prequel
nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but an extension of the wizarding world.
The laws and customs of the hidden magical society will be familiar to anyone
who has read the Harry Potter books or seen the films, but Newt’s story will
start in New York, seventy years before Harry’s gets underway.
It all started when Warner
Bros. came to me with the suggestion of turning ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to
Find Them’ into a film. I thought it was a fun idea, but the idea of seeing
Newt Scamander, the supposed author of ‘Fantastic Beasts,’ realized by another
writer was difficult. Having lived for so long in my fictional universe, I feel
very protective of it and I already knew a lot about Newt. As hard-core Harry
Potter fans will know, I liked him so much that I even married his grandson,
Rolf, to one of my favourite characters from the Harry Potter series, Luna
Lovegood.
As I considered Warners’
proposal, an idea took shape that I couldn’t dislodge. That is how I ended up
pitching my own idea for a film to Warner Bros.
I particularly want to thank
Kevin Tsujihara of Warner Bros. for his support in this project, which would
not have happened without him. I always said that I would only revisit the
wizarding world if I had an idea that I was really excited about and this is
it.”
Let’s dive right into
this Nerd 5 Special about the reasons we think Fantastic Beasts could be totally awesome.
5.
Possible Cameos/ In Good Hands
This project is in very
capable hands. Whatever you think of the 8 previous Potter films (I personally
really enjoy 6 out 8), WB really put its full force behind putting quality
people behind the films, making a quality product, and adapting the books well
to screen. Yes, this is a money grab, but money grabs have been successful in
the past when they took the time for a quality approach. Since this is a money
grab, I wouldn’t be surprised if WB and Rowling put in a few cameos for us
fans. Could we get more Dumbledore? Olivander? The Marauders? Only time will
tell, but with Rowling writing the film herself and a good past track record, I
have faith.
4.
It’s Not a Sequel or Prequel
One
of the biggest things about being a fan is always asking: what’s next? And when
your fandom reaches the end, you’re left with all the things it’s given you
along with the small hope that you may someday get a tiny bit more. WELL HARRY
POTTER FANS - WE GOT LUCKY! We get more! What I particularly enjoy is that
these films will not be sequels or prequels, but a spin-off. They’re leaving
behind the characters and story we know to give us something completely
different. Something unique: a story in the Harry Potter universe where we
don’t always know what to expect! It’s not like she’s telling the doomed story
of James and Lilly Potter, the ending of which we already know. Rowling has
opened herself up to do anything she wants. She’s already created a world,
characters, and story we all love: given the chance, I bet she’ll do it again.
3.
Magical Beasts
One of the best parts
of the Potter series is the magical beasts. They’re unique and extraordinary
looks at classic mythology and given the secret nature of Rowling’s world, it
makes perfect sense to show us how they were discovered, tamed, created… who
knows? It will be exciting getting to know a lot more about these amazing
creatures and the person who discovered them. That’s right, the new lead of
Rowling’s series will be Professor Newt Scamander himself. A man who made it
his life’s work to find out everything about the magical beasts that shared the
world, and to write down what he found. He sounds like a man who would put our
dear friend Hagrid to shame.
2.
Expanding the Wizarding World
Even though we’ll revisit
the world of Harry Potter, we’re not going to get a single scene with Harry,
Ron, or Hermione – WHICH IS GREAT! Their
story has been told, and though we’ll miss them, it’s better for us to have a
passport to get explore what makes their world great. We love the places,
people, and things from the Wizarding World, and now comes the time when we
really get to expand upon them. This gives Rowling a chance to show us how the
world we know was created, as well as showing us an entirely new side of it.
Hopefully she won’t rely on the well-treaded ground of the books and films and will
explore all the possibilities of the world as a whole.
1.
More Stories from J.K. Rowling
The script of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will
be written by Rowling, her first screenplay. This means that she will retain control
of her universe (not total control since she’s now working for Warner Brothers
directly, but A LOT more than if someone else was doing it), something she has
always been highly protective of. After reading The Cuckoo’s Calling it’s clear that Rowling has a talent for
creating characters that we care for beyond good old Potter and friends, and I have no doubt this will happen again
here. It’s also great that Rowling is returning to the genre where she really
succeeds, fantasy. Rowling is adept at setting her fantasy stories in a world which
we can all relate to, and then giving us an amazing story that can comment on
our world as well as the one that she created. I’ll be at theatre, midnight
showing, wand in hand and ready for whatever Rowling brings us. Ready to love
(or hate if this goes the way of Episode One: The Phantom Menace) these new
films with all my fandom heart and soul.
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