By Cynthia Ayala
Warner Bros.’ initial idea for the film was to make a faux documentary of the “author” of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and his tracking of magical beasties.
Of course of J.K. Rowling herself came up with an even better one. No surprise since she created Harry Potter. Trying her hand and penning her first-ever screenplay for the next highly anticipated film in the Harry Potter franchise, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. While she may have had creative input in the previous films (except for The Half-Blood Prince which we can all agree strayed way to far from the novel) this is her first script.
For the most part, the plot has been kept ultra secret, the only revelation was that it was a 1926-set prequel.
This spoiler free description courtesy of EW, doesn’t reveal much, but if you’re one of those people who wants to be completely surprised, you might want to stop reading, or cast Obliviate on yourself.
“Eccentric magizoologist Newt Scamander (Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne) comes to New York (for a reason we won’t disclose) with his trusty weathered case. This case is one of those way-way-way-bigger-on-the-inside magical devices, and within are expansive habitats for a collection of rare and endangered magical creatures from Newt’s travels around globe. He discovers the American wizarding community is fearfully hiding from Muggles (who are called “No-Maj” in the States, more on that here) and the threat of public exposure is an even graver concern than in the UK (remember the Salem witch trials?). Fantastic Beasts is the story of what happens when this uniquely skilled English wizard travels to wiz-phobic America and a variety of his creatures, some quite dangerous … get out of their case.”
I think this sounds much more entertaining that some faux documentary. Bravo Rowling.
Source: EW