23 Interesting Facts From The ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Movies

Newt Scamander chose magizoology because of his interest in fabulous beasts, and at the encouragement of his mother, who was a Hippogriff breeder. In 1979, his contributions to the field earned him an Order of Merlin, Second Class.

For his role in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Eddie Redmayne spent time in the wilderness tracking wild animals to learn more about them. He also worked with zookeepers at a zoo in Kent to better understand how people interact with animals.

Gellert Grindelwald is a key character in Fantastic Beasts, and he is mentioned throughout the film as a “dangerous force on the European continent.” He’s also a central figure in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, where he is often referred to as the most dangerous dark wizard in history, prior to the rise of Voldemort.

J.K. Rowling specifically invented the word choranaptyxic for the film. A choranaptyxic creature is one that can shrink or grow to fit the available space. The Occamy, a winged, serpentine-bodied creature from the Far East and India, is one such creature, and it makes an appearance on screen.

The only character from the world of Harry Potter who seems to care about animals as much as Newt Scamander is Rubeus Hagrid himself. In fact, they were both expelled from Hogwarts for a very similar reason: a mysterious accident involving a magical creature. However, though we know Hagrid to have been framed by Tom Riddle, from what we know about Newt, his expulsion may have been justified.

Fantastic Beasts has a connection to real American history. Many of the American laws surrounding magic are derived from the Salem Witch Trials of the 1690s. In the Magical Congress of the United States, the names of those who lost their lives during the witch trials are noted on four golden phoenix statues in the entrance.

In Tina and Queenie’s apartment, there are several brightly colored books on the shelf behind Jacob at dinner. The books are the seven volumes of Chadwick’s Charms, which are the American equivalent of The Standard Book of Spells used at Hogwarts.

Carmen Ejogo wanted her character Seraphina Picquery to be left-handed, as left-handedness has long been associated with witches and dark magic. She also suggested placing rings on her dominant hand to further emphasize her left-handedness.

Fantastic Beasts is the first movie in the franchise to feature a main character with no magical abilities or potential. Jacob Kowalski is regular, working-class New Yorker who comes into contact with Newt during his American adventures.

J.K. Rowling has stated that Fantastic Beasts is neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter books/films. While Newt’s story in the film does take place 70 years prior to the start of Harry Potter, Rowling considers it an extension of the wizarding world.