Movies: A Thrilling New Adventure In J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World Is Underway

The Main Cast and Filmmakers From “Fantastic Beasts and Where 

to Find Them” are Joined by Exciting New Additions to the Ensemble

BURBANK, CA – July 3, 2017 – Principal photography starts today, Monday, July 3, on an all new adventure set in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, the second of five films in the series that began with “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” The as-yet-untitled film is being directed by David Yates.

Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything”) stars once more as wizarding world magizoologist Newt Scamander; alongside Katherine Waterston as Auror Tina Goldstein; Alison Sudol as her sister, Queenie Goldstein; and Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski, the only No-Maj in the foursome.

Oscar nominee Johnny Depp (the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, “Finding Neverland”), who was revealed as Gellert Grindelwald, stars as the powerful Dark wizard in the film. Oscar nominee Jude Law (“The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “Cold Mountain”) takes on the role of Albus Dumbledore—one of J.K. Rowling’s most beloved characters—decades before he becomes Headmaster at Hogwarts. Credence, whose fate was unknown at the end of the first film, makes a mysterious return, played again by Ezra Miller. Zoë Kravitz plays Leta Lestrange, who was glimpsed in a photo as a woman from Newt’s past; Callum Turner is the famed Theseus Scamander, a war hero and Auror, who also happens to be Newt’s older brother; and Claudia Kim plays a young woman we first meet as a featured attraction at a wizarding circus.

Movies: Jude Law Cast As The Iconic Wizard Albus Dumbledore In The Next “Fantastic Beasts” Film

BURBANK, CA –April 12, 2017 – As fans across the globe eagerly await the next adventure in the “Fantastic Beasts” feature film series, Warner Bros. Pictures has announced the actor who will take on the role of one of J.K. Rowling’s most beloved characters.  Two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law has been set to star as Albus Dumbledore in the “Fantastic Beasts” sequel, it was announced today by Toby Emmerich, President and Chief Content Officer, Warner Bros. Pictures.

In the much-anticipated new Wizarding World film, Law will portray Dumbledore long before the iconic wizard became the Headmaster at Hogwarts, as he has been known in the Harry Potter books and movies.  We meet him decades earlier, when Dumbledore is still serving as the wizarding school’s Transfiguration professor.  He is also a contemporary of Gellert Grindelwald, the charismatic dark wizard who believes wizards are superior to Muggles and No-Majs.

J.K. Rowling, who made her screenwriting debut on the global hit “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” has also written the screenplay for the second movie.  The story moves deeper into an increasingly dark time for the wizarding world, where Newt Scamander and our other heroes have to decide on their allegiances.

In making the announcement, Emmerich stated, “As fans ourselves, we are thrilled to have Jude Law joining the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ cast, playing a character so universally adored.  Jude has been a member of the Warner Bros. family for years and we’re excited to embark on this new adventure with him.”

Director David Yates added, “Jude Law is a phenomenally talented actor whose work I have long admired, and I’m looking forward to finally having the opportunity to work with him.  I know he will brilliantly capture all the unexpected facets of Albus Dumbledore as J.K. Rowling reveals this very different time in his life.”

Jude Law earned Oscar nominations for his work in “Cold Mountain” and “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” winning a BAFTA Award for the latter.  He will next be seen in “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword,” and currently stars in the HBO series “The Young Pope.”  His many other film credits include the “Sherlock Holmes” movies, “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Hugo,” “Contagion,” “The Aviator,” “Alfie,” “Road to Perdition” and “A.I. Artificial Intelligence,” to name only a portion.

The first film in the “Fantastic Beasts” series, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” began a new era in the wizarding world, decades before the Harry Potter movies, which still reign as the top-grossing film franchise of all time.  Acclaimed by both critics and audiences, the 2016 release became a global blockbuster, earning more than $813 million at the box office.

Principal photography begins this summer on the new “Fantastic Beasts” adventure, which will be directed by David Yates, who previously helmed the final four “Harry Potter” features, as well as “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”  The film also reunites producers David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram. Neil Blair, Rick Senat and Danny Cohen are serving as executive producers.

Slated for release on November 16, 2018, the film, which is the second of five planned “Fantastic Beasts” movies, will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Movie News: “FANTASTIC BEASTS” EARNS A MAGICAL HALF BILLION DOLLARS WORLDWIDE, P231.17-M IN PH

The much-anticipated return to J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World,

directed by David Yates and starring Eddie Redmayne,

crosses $500 million worldwide after just two weekends in release.

 On the heels of topping the box office in its opening weekend, the widely acclaimed magical adventure “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” surpassed half a billion dollars at the global box office on Tuesday, November 29, following its second weekend in release.  The announcement was made November 30 by Sue Kroll, President of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

 Audiences everywhere have flocked to theatres, eager to experience the new era in the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling.  To date, the film has earned $161 million domestically and $344 million internationally for a global box office cume of $505 million and counting.  “Fantastic Beasts,” which is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, has also received praise from critics everywhere. 

 (In the Philippines, the film has grossed an outstanding P231.17-million in only 16 days, and still climbing.)

 In making the announcement, Kroll stated, “We are thrilled by the success of this new adventure, which is also the start of an exciting new franchise for the studio.  With ‘Fantastic Beasts,’ the brilliant J.K. Rowling has created an immersive story with timeless themes that are resonating with both critics and audiences in every corner of the world.  We congratulate her, our director David Yates, the wonderful cast and everyone involved in the film on this milestone.”

 

Jeff Goldstein, President, Domestic Distribution, said, “Anticipation grew exponentially in the weeks leading up to the release of ‘Fantastic Beasts,’ and now with the film in theaters we are seeing strong word of mouth and repeat attendance, which should carry the film through the holiday season and beyond.”

Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President, International Distribution and Growth Initiatives, added, “The enthusiastic global response to ‘Fantastic Beasts’ proves once again that the appeal of the wizarding world transcends language and borders.  We, too, foresee strong holds through the holidays and well into the new year.”

 “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” takes us to a new era of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, decades before Harry Potter and half a world away.

 Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne stars in the central role of Magizoologist Newt Scamander, under the direction of David Yates, who helmed the last four “Harry Potter” blockbusters.

 “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident … were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is now playing nationwide in 2D and 3D in select theatres and IMAX, and is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

 © 2016 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.

Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Publishing Rights © JKR.

The Magic Continues for a New Generation of Potter Fans (and the old ones are happy too!)

After seven books and eight movies, you'd think that the world is content with how Harry Potter ended but with the release of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" and of course "Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them" (which just grossed P126.42 M in four days!) we know that Muggles just can't get enough of J.K. Rowling's wizarding world. 

Last Halloween I saw a number of folks dressed up as characters from Harry Potter, from kids who were not even born yet when the books came out. (Their parents probably put them up to it but I'm sure that they've come to love the movies as well) to adults who wanted to bring the magic to the work place. Indeed the magic which J.K. Rowling has created for what now seems like generations is surely far from over. 

The cuties clad in Gryffindor colors? Daughters of my former English (and Economics) High School teacher and I can say that Miss Gaye has those #ParentingGoals down right! 

We just saw "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" last week (movie review here) and I tell you it was indeed a reminiscent trip down memory lane as the movie 'read' so much like a "Harry Potter" book. It's on its second week in cinemas now! Make sure to see it!   

The lovely folks from Sky Cable's Digital Marketing went on a "Harry Potter" theme for their Halloween Party. Complete with "Undesirable No.1" posters! 

This little cutie is about to have his first birthday and guess what the theme is? :D

So no, I don't think we have seen the last of that Potter magic and if "Fantastic Beasts" were any indication I think we're still on for more! And as a Potter head I couldn't be happier. 

Indeed, Rowling has helped redefine literature and children's literature as we know it. Now, Harry Potter is a discussion which both adults and children can enjoy. 

Thank you to Miss Gaye and Chie for sharing your photos! 

As if we needed more evidence of Potter love, there is a Harry Potter themed cafe along Maginhawa Street, Nook Cafe. we've been meaning to visit but haven't yet, one of these days for sure! 

Movies: SPOTLIGHT ON “FANTASTIC BEASTS” SCENE-STEALER, DAN FOGLER

Everybody loves Jacob! (I know I did!) 

Critics have singled him out as the “heart” of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” for his moving and adorable portrayal of Jacob, who is the only one in the four-man principal cast without magical powers. Ironically, this may be the very reason that has endeared American actor Dan Fogler to audiences: his effortless relatability.

“At his core, Jacob is just a simple palooka who just happens into this magical situation, something he’s clearly not used to,” Fogler says of his character. “He’s a baker who has been trying to open his own bakery because he loves making people happy with his cooking. He may not be able to perform magic, but he can make a little pastry that’ll knock your socks off. I felt like I knew the character well because my great-grandfather was a baker, who was known for the best pumpernickel in New York, so it’s in my blood.”

Director David Yates notes, “Jacob is an everyman with a big heart who believes in the best of everyone. He accepts people for who they are. He’s a No-Maj [humans who have no magic] who suddenly finds himself in this remarkable world and embraces the joy of that world for all its differences and idiosyncrasies. And Jacob is one of us, so we get to experience it all from his point of view.”

“Imagine getting caught up in this wizarding universe as someone who has never experienced real magic before,” producer David Heyman suggests. “That sense of wonder is seen and felt by the audience through Jacob.”

Fogler could easily relate to that aspect of his character. “I felt like Jacob entering this world and being in awe of everything,” says the actor who was a Harry Potter fan long before being cast in “Fantastic Beasts.” In fact, he learned he won the role while attending the largest fan gathering on the planet. He recalls, “I was at Comic-Con in San Diego when I got the call from David Yates and David Heyman. They asked me where I was and I said, ‘I’m at Comic-Con,’ and they said, ‘Well, Comic-Con is going to be a lot different for you next year!’ They were both so supportive and excited for me; it was such a warm, happy feeling and that remained for the whole shoot. I will always think of them as the people who came into my life and changed it forever.”

Fogler, who is joined in the lead cast by Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston and Alison Sudol, concludes, “Even though ‘Fantastic Beasts’ is an adventure that runs the gamut of action and humor, and with gigantic sets and effects, they did an amazing job honing in on the relationships and the chemistry between these characters. I think audiences will really see themselves in these people…these quirky misfits who form this little team.”

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is now playing across the Philippines in 2D and 3D in select theatres and IMAX, and is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

© 2016 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.

Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Publishing Rights © JKR.

Movie News: OPENING AT NO.1, “FANTASTIC BEASTS” FINDS P126.42-M IN JUST4 DAYS

MANILA, Nov. 22, 2016 – Magical creatures, new heroes to root for and a jaw-dropping big reveal lured audiences back  to a new era of magic.

The wizarding world of Harry Potter triumphantly returned to Philippine cinemas as Warner Bros.’ “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opened at No.1 with a spellbinding P126.42-million in only four days for the Nov. 17-20 frame.  This was announced today by Francis Soliven, General Manager of Warner Bros. Philippines.

The Harry Potter spinoff posted the Biggest November Opening Weekend for a Warner Bros. Film All-Time surpassing             2005’s “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’s” P105-million bow. 

The solid opening of “Fantastic Beasts” has launched a new franchise for Warner, justifying an expansion of the series into five films.  Reviews are generally positive.

In the U.S., “Fantastic Beasts” debuted to a boisterous $75 million, and likewise got off to a roaring start at the international box office, taking in $143.3 million for a global total of $218.3 million.

Next weekend will see big launches in the key markets of China and Japan. A projection towards the $800M mark seems possible if it holds up moderately well in coming weeks.

Back in the Philippines, top-grossing cinemas are led by SM Megamall (P5.56-M), SM Mall of Asia (P5.28-M) and SM North EDSA (P4.99-M).

They are followed by Trinoma (P4.22-M), Power Plant (P3.34-M), Greenbelt 3 (P3.17-M), Glorietta 4 (P2.44-M), SM Cebu (P2.33-M), Alabang Town Center (P2.23-M) and Shang Cineplex (P2.20-M).

Performing significantly well are Ayala Cebu (P2.13-M), Greenhills Theatremall (P2.08-M), SM Ilo-ilo (P2.06-M), SM Aura (P2.04-M), Gateway (P1.96-M), U.P. Town Center (P1.94-M), Uptown (P1.91-M), Bonifacio High Street (P1.87-M), Eastwood (P1.79-M) and SM Bacolod (P1.59-M) .

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” takes us to a new era of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, decades before Harry Potter and half a world away.

Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything,” “The Danish Girl”) stars in the central role of Magizoologist Newt Scamander, under the direction of David Yates, who helmed the last four “Harry Potter” blockbusters.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident … were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

           

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is now playing nationwide in 2D and 3D in select theatres and IMAX, and is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

© 2016 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.

Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Publishing Rights © JKR.

Movies: COLIN FARRELL, EZRA MILLER PLAY DARKLY CONNECTED ROLES IN “FANTASTIC BEASTS”

Golden Globe Best Actor winner Colin Farrell (“In Bruges”) and fast-rising star Ezra Miller (upcoming “Justice League”) play pivotal characters in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” which takes us to a new era of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World.

Farrell stars as Percival Graves, the enigmatic Director of Magical Security at MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), while Millers plays the painfully withdrawn Credence Barebone who is not only a complete outsider to the wizarding community, but is the adopted son of the founder of the New Salem Philanthropic Society (NSPS), a vehemently anti-magic organization that is an enemy to MACUSA.

Defining his role, Farrell says, “Graves is very high up on the chain of command in MACUSA. He is basically the head Auror, whose job is to uphold the safety and security of the magical world and to contain anything that could potentially be detrimental to wizardkind. He is very powerful and incredibly driven and highly skilled with a wand.”

MACUSA is intent on the protection of the North American wizarding world, which they believe is dependent upon the enforcement of the Statute of Secrecy. “Graves has his own ideology about the segregation between wizards and No-Majs,” Farrell shares. “The fact that wizards have been repressed and forced to live in the shadows eats away at him. To him, it’s an injustice. Even those at MACUSA don’t know much about Graves, and I enjoyed the degree of mystery about the character.”

The actor says he was drawn to “Fantastic Beasts” from his first reading of J.K. Rowling’s screenplay. “It was just so imaginative and provocative; there was a kind of poetry and symmetry to everything. And while the story is fantastical and set in the 1920s, it is also grounded in a truth that is very relevant today. So on the one hand, the film is a huge departure from reality, but there are also significant human themes explored in it. First and foremost though, it was total blast for me.”

One of the intrigues surrounding the prominent wizard Percival Graves is why he has taken such a keen interest in Credence Barebone. Farrell observes, “Credence is someone who seems lost and always on the outside looking in and that makes him especially vulnerable to Graves, who obviously believes Credence has some insight or information he needs. He gives Credence a sense of belonging that is lacking in his life, but his motives are questionable at best.”

Cast as Credence, Ezra Miller adds, “Their relationship in the film becomes quite disturbing because it has an element of manipulation that is tangible. It’s an interesting dynamic because there is a certain amount of ambiguity about who is good and who is bad and you won’t really know until all the chips have fallen. That is one of the amazing dimensions of J.K. Rowling’s writing—the understanding that all of the dualities of good and evil don’t necessarily exist apart from one another. There are many sides to every person. I think fans will be extremely tickled to discover some of the familiar threads that run through this film, but it’s its own entity and very much its own story.”

Miller, it turns out, is in an excellent position to comment on his fellow fans. “I have been obsessed with J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World since I was seven years old,” he reveals, “so I am very well-versed. Getting to actually step into this universe was the fulfillment of my dreams more than anyone can imagine.”

“Ezra is a big fan of Jo’s world and was determined to be part of this journey and this film,” director David Yates recalls. “As an actor, he’s fearless, curious and open, and brought a lot to the process as well as to the set in terms of energy and ambition. He captured Credence in a way that was both haunting and moving.”

Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne stars in the central role of Magizoologist Newt Scamander, under the direction of David Yates, who helmed the last four “Harry Potter” blockbusters.

The film opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident … were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opens across the Philippines on Nov. 17 in 2D and 3D in select theatres and IMAX, and is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

© 2016 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.

Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Publishing Rights © JKR.

Movies: EDDIE REDMAYNE GREETS PH, LEADS MAGICAL CAST OF “FANTASTIC BEASTS”

Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne stars in the central role of Magizoologist Newt Scamander, in Warner Bros.' “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” which takes us to a new era of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, decades before Harry Potter and half a world away in America.

(Watch a featurette on Eddie Redmayne with a special greeting for the Philippines athttp://youtu.be/BZIs5i_MlCg.)

The casting of “Fantastic Beasts” began with the character of Newt Scamander, whose visit to New York becomes far more eventful than he ever imagined. Producer David Heyman says that Eddie Redmayne was the filmmakers’ first and only choice for the part. “He is quintessentially British, and an actor for all times who can play a character from any time. Eddie is brilliant at getting under a character’s skin and exploring every detail of a role, yet all that effort is invisible. All you see here is Newt—an outsider who is somewhat knotty but winning and engaging, someone you immediately invest in.”

Describing his role, Redmayne says, “Newt is most comfortable around beasts and is seemingly content to be on his own in the company of his animals, which are the be all and end all of his life. What I love about Newt is his passion; his only agenda is to teach the value of these creatures to the rest of the magical world, which considers them dangerous because they could give away the existence of wizards.”

Challenging the status quo, “Newt believes that with proper education, wizards could come to appreciate how magnificent these animals are and learn to coexist with them,” says Redmayne. “At the beginning of the film, he’s spent a year in the field, traveling around the world doing research for his book. Along the way he’s rescued some of these endangered species, which he keeps in his case, containing a wondrous plethora of terrains. He has amazing empathy with his creatures, although he’s not particularly good with humans. But through the people he meets on this journey, he starts to realize there has been a hole in his life.”

Not long after arriving in New York City, Newt meets three people who will change everything: a witch named Tina Goldstein; her younger sister, Queenie; and, most surprising of all, a No-Maj (a non-magical person) named Jacob Kowalski. It isn’t long before these strangers find a common bond and form an uncommon friendship. Redmayne offers, “Newt essentially stumbles onto them, and throughout the film, their growing camaraderie becomes an essential element of the story.”

“The friendship that develops between the four of them is the most important thing in the movie,” screenwriter J.K. Rowling declares. “It’s always the relationships between the characters in my stories that carry you through.”

Katherine Waterston, who plays Tina, observes that the way these four strangers come together is almost instinctual. “It can be lonely being an oddball until you find other oddballs. Their friendship is not a mere byproduct of the extreme set of circumstances they go through together; it is their common experience as outsiders that draws them to one another.”

“They aren’t caricatures,” insists Alison Sudol, cast in the role of Queenie. “There is a genuine humanity to each of these characters. The things they face are not unlike the things we face in our own lives, but it’s seen through a wizarding angle in a very interesting way.”

Yates adds, “Jo has always been interested in outsiders—people who are misunderstood or who are slightly out of kilter with the rest of society.”

Perhaps the ultimate outsider is Jacob, who is the only one in the foursome without magical powers. Dan Fogler, who plays the role, shares, “Even though ‘Fantastic Beasts’ is an adventure that runs the gamut of action and humor, and with gigantic sets and effects, they did an amazing job honing in on the relationships and the chemistry between these characters. I think audiences will really see themselves in these people…these quirky misfits who form this little team.”

Yates reveals that finding the chemistry began in the audition process. “We started with Eddie as Newt and then built the world around him. It was a bit like putting a band together,” the director laughs. “Eddie flew to New York with us and we auditioned lots of Tinas and Jacobs and Queenies with him in a room. Over a 48-hour period, he did the same scenes over and over again with different people, and out of that process we found our core cast—four actors who all bring something different to the movie in interesting ways that complement one another.”

Redmayne says the results were worth it. “The film revolves around this quartet of people who start out moving in completely opposite directions and end up cohered as friends. It was wonderful getting to work with three such brilliant actors as Katherine, Alison and Dan. We were all bound by this sense of responsibility: we all love the ‘Potter’ films and the world that Jo created for this film and just wanted to do the characters proud.”

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opens across the Philippines on Nov. 17 in 2D and 3D in select theatres and IMAX, and is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

© 2016 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.

Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Publishing Rights © JKR.

Movies: “FANTASTIC BEASTS” – BEFORE HARRY POTTER, THERE WAS NEWT SCAMANDER

In the summer of 1997, a book entitled Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, by a then-unknown writer named J.K. Rowling, was first published. With the words, “You’re a wizard, Harry,” it ushered us into a magical realm that soon became known as the wizarding world. And our world would never be the same.

Through seven best-selling books and eight blockbuster films, millions of people around the globe have been captivated by the stories of Harry Potter and his friends as they came of age and took us all on thrilling, magical adventures. Favorite characters like Harry, Hermione, Dumbledore, and even He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named became instant contemporary icons, and words like Muggle, Quidditch, and Hogwarts were embedded in our cultural lexicon.

Now, almost two decades after the arrival of J.K. Rowling’s first history-making book, audiences will be transported back to the wizarding world in a new era of magic in “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”

Although “Fantastic Beasts” unfolds in an entirely different time and place, it has an organic connection to Harry Potter, as Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was one of Harry’s textbooks at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. J.K. Rowling, who made her screenwriting debut on the film and also served as a producer, recalls that she initially brought the primer into being as a project for charity. “During the writing of that book,” she says, “I became interested in its ostensible author, Newt Scamander, and he took on quite a bit of life for me. So I was very enthusiastic when the studio came to me and said they wanted to make it into a movie because I already had the back story in my mind and it just so happened that they’d optioned the very thing I was most interested in. And I knew if it were to happen, I would have to write it because I know too much about Newt to let someone else do it.”

Set in 1926, the film’s story brings the self-proclaimed Magizoologist to life before he had written the textbook that would someday be required reading at his alma mater, Hogwarts. Coming to the end of a journey that took him to far-flung lands in search of magical creatures, Newt arrives in New York, where the escape of his precious beasts sweeps him into a chain of events that threatens to reveal the wizarding community, which hides in plain sight amongst the No-Majs.

Found within the tale are other, albeit more subtle, links to J.K. Rowling’s previous works. Producer David Heyman, who also produced all eight of the “Harry Potter” films, confirms that amidst the magic and fun, are concepts that have become hallmarks of her writing. “Many of the underlying themes of the Potter books are in evidence here: the virtue of tolerance in contrast to the dangers of intolerance and repression; being true to who you are; outsiders coming together and connecting… There is an emotional universality and relevance to those ideas that are utterly relatable to people across the globe. The beasts may be in the title, but it’s the humans who are the heart of the story.”

Regarding J.K. Rowling’s writings, director David Yates observes, “There is a grace and humanity in Jo’s characters…a celebration of being who you are without apology, and not overly trying to conform or hide your potential to be everything you can be. She cherishes individuality.”

“My heroes are always people who have the courage to say, ‘I see how it is, but it doesn’t have to be that way,’” Rowling asserts. “They are the ones willing to ask, ‘Why is it this way?’”

Rowling also appreciated that Steve Kloves, who had scripted the “Potter” films, came on board for “Fantastic Beasts” as a producer. “I wanted Steve involved because—having never written a screenplay before—I knew I would need some guidance,” she says. “Just having him there for advice was huge.”

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opens nationwide November 17 in 2D and 3D in select theatres and IMAX, and is distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

© 2016 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.

Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Publishing Rights © JKR.

Movie News: “FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM” LAUNCHES IMAX POSTER

Warner Bros. Pictures has just launched the IMAX poster for its new fantasy adventure “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” The film opens in IMAX theaters and regular cinemas across the Philippineson Thursday, Nov. 17^th.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” takes us to a new era in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, decades before Harry Potter and half a world away.

Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne stars in the central role of Magizoologist Newt Scamander, under the direction of David Yates, who helmed the last four “Harry Potter” blockbusters.

There are growing dangers in the wizarding world of 1926 New York. Something mysterious is leaving a path of destruction in the streets, threatening to expose the wizarding community to the Second Salemers, a fanatical faction of No-Majs (American for Muggles) bent on eradicating them. And the powerful, dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald, after wreaking havoc in Europe, has slipped away…and is now nowhere to be found.

Unaware of the rising tensions, Newt Scamander arrives in the city nearing the end of a global excursion to research and rescue magical creatures, some of which are safeguarded in the magical hidden dimensions of his deceptively nondescript leather case. But potential disaster strikes when unsuspecting No-Maj Jacob Kowalski inadvertently lets some of Newt’s beasts loose in a city already on edge—a serious breach of the Statute of Secrecy that former Auror Tina Goldstein jumps on, seeing her chance to regain her post as an investigator. However, things take an ominous turn when Percival Graves, the enigmatic Director of Magical Security at MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), casts his suspicions on both Newt…and Tina.

Now allied, Newt and Tina, together with Tina’s sister, Queenie, and their new No-Maj friend, Jacob, form a band of unlikely heroes, who must recover Newt’s missing beasts before they come to harm. But the stakes are higher than these four outsiders—now branded fugitives—ever imagined, as their mission puts them on a collision course with dark forces that could push the wizarding and No-Maj worlds to the brink of war.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” also stars Katherine Waterston as Tina, Tony Award winner Dan Fogler as Jacob, Alison Sudol as Tina’s sister, Queenie, Ezra Miller as Credence, two-time Oscar nominee Samantha Morton as Mary Lou Barebone, Oscar winner Jon Voight as Henry Shaw, Sr., Carmen Ejogo as Seraphina Picquery, and Colin Farrell as Percival Graves.

The film marks the screenwriting debut of J.K. Rowling, whose seven beloved Harry Potter books were adapted into the top-grossing film franchise of all time. Her script was inspired by the Hogwarts textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, written by her character Newt Scamander.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Heyday Films Production, a David Yates Film, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” The film will open nationwide November 17, 2016, in 2D and 3D in select theatres and IMAX, and will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

© 2016 Warner Bros. Ent. All Rights Reserved.

Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts Publishing Rights © JKR.

Movies: “FANTASTIC BEASTS” CHARACTER POSTERS INTRODUCE FACES OF NEW FRANCHISE

The character posters of Warner Bros. Pictures' new fantasy adventure “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” have just debuted online, allowing fans to get to know the new heroes and villains much better.

To go with the one-sheets, below are the official character descriptions provided by Warner Bros.

NEWT SCAMANDER (Eddie Redmayne)

Newt Scamander is a Magizoologist who has been traveling the world to find and document magical creatures, hoping to educate the wizarding world about why they are important and need to be protected. In his travels, he has rescued a wide variety of beasts, great and small, which he keeps in a case that magically provides more than enough room for the menagerie he cares for and protects. Newt is an outsider, a bit awkward, and more comfortable with creatures than his fellow wizards and witches. Hailing from England, he was once a student at Hogwarts but was expelled for endangering human life with a beast. Yet there was one professor who fought for him, a certain Albus Dumbledore. No one could have imagined then that Newt would someday write one of Hogwarts’ most important textbooks: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

TINA GOLDSTEIN (Katherine Waterston)

Tina (short for Porpentina) Goldstein is a smart and determined witch who lives in New York and works for MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America). She was once an Auror but was demoted to a menial desk job after overstepping her duties when her heart overruled her head and she used unauthorized magic. She wants desperately to regain her status as an investigator, which puts her directly in the path of a visiting wizard named Newt Scamander. Tina is very close to her younger sister and roommate, Queenie.

QUEENIE GOLDSTEIN (Alison Sudol)

Queenie Goldstein is Tina’s vivacious and slightly quirky younger sister, who is undeniably beautiful, but there is much more to her than meets the eye. Queenie works a menial desk job at MACUSA in the same department as Tina, but she doesn’t have her sister’s driving ambition to be an Auror. In fact, truth be told, the free-spirited Queenie would prefer not to work at all. Queenie has a good heart and would do anything for her sister. She is also a Legilimens, meaning she can read minds.

JACOB KOWALSKI (Dan Fogler)

Jacob Kowalski is a No-Maj (American for Muggle) who works in a cannery but dreams of becoming a baker, making fresh and delicious treats. Unable to secure a loan, Jacob seems resigned to his fate, but everything changes when he encounters Newt Scamander and is inadvertently swept up in the mayhem caused by Newt’s magical beasts. At first, Jacob thinks he must be imagining things, but soon realizes he is on an adventure beyond even his wildest dreams.

PERCIVAL GRAVES (Colin Farrell)

Percival Graves is an Auror and the Director of Magical Security at MACUSA, making him one of its highest-ranking and most respected officials. When Graves discovers that Newt Scamander has made an unauthorized trip to New York with a case filled with forbidden magical creatures, he is very suspicious of his intentions and concerned about the potential to break the American wizarding world’s most important law: the Statute of Secrecy. Graves seems to demonstrate care and compassion to the young and particularly vulnerable Credence Barebone. But to what end?

MARY LOU BAREBONE (Samantha Morton)

Mary Lou Barebone is a No-Maj and the outspoken leader of the New Salem Philanthropic Society (NSPS), otherwise known as the Second Salemers. Bent on exterminating all magic, Mary Lou fiercely crusades against the wizards and witches she is convinced live among them. She enlists in the effort her adopted children, who all live in fear of her wrath.

CREDENCE BAREBONE (Ezra Miller)


Credence Barebone, the adopted middle child of Mary Lou Barebone, appears withdrawn, extremely shy and far more vulnerable than his two sisters. Credence is defenseless against the abuse that comes in response to the slightest infraction of Mary Lou’s strict rules. But his loneliness also makes him susceptible to the manipulation of Percival Graves, who has taken a personal interest in Credence.