The Wizarding World has returned for more magic.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore takes place a few years after the events of the first two films. The film finds Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Milkkelsen, recasted from Johnny Depp) continuing his campaign against Muggles (No-Majs in America).
In his latest plot, Grindelwald has Credence (Ezra Miller) capture a Qilin, a magical creature that can see into one’s soul and into the future. Grindlewald has plans for this creature in order to further his goals.
Meanwhile, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) rescues the Qilin’s twin before returning to Europe. Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) is unable to challenge Grindelwald due to a magical blood pact the two made as children, which would kill whoever tried to challenge the other. Thus, Albus recruits Newt to foil Grindelwald’s latest plan. Newt enlists the help of his brother Thesus (Callum Turner), Ilvermorny Charms teacher Lally Hicks (Jessica Williams), Sengealese-French wizard Yusuf Kama (William Nadylam) and American No-Maj Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler). Newt also retains his indispensable assistant Bunty (Victoria Yeates) for the plan, too.
True to the future Dumbledore of Harry Potter’s days, Dumbledore’s plan is largely secretive. He is the only one who knows what everyone’s role is in his plot, and he keeps much information to himself, just as he will in the future. Bunty is the only one who knows all of the details of Dumbledore’s plot, even telling Newt that he isn’t meant to know the entire plan, because Dumbledore wants to make sure everything happens the way he plans.
Credence, meanwhile, continues his search for his identity. Grindelwald claimed at the end of the last film that Credence was actually Aurelius Dumbledore, Albus’ long lost brother who Albus left for dead. Credence seeks revenge against Albus. Queenie Goldstein (Alison Sudol) is tasked with keeping an eye on Credence for Grindlewald, and it’s clear throughout the movie Queenie is unsure about her decision to join Grindelwald.
While I won’t reveal the actual connection, I will say that Credence is linked to the Dumbledore family. This is revealed both during his confrontation with Albus and later in a scene with Albus and his brother Aberforth (Richard Coyle). The connection is surprising, but makes sense narratively.
One of the most welcome parts of the film is how it ties in to the larger franchise. During a scene between Albus and Newt, Albus reveals some secrets about his sister. While longtime Potter fans know the story, Albus reveals something more about Arianna, which ties into a concept that was introduced in the Fantastic Beasts films. Everything ties in together nicely and heightens the mythology of the entire franchise.
With much respect to Johnny Depp and his performance in the first two films, Mads Mikkelsen’s portrayal of Grindelwald is top-tier casting. Mikkelsen’s Grindelwald is closer to the Wizarding Hitler Grindelwald is implied to be.
Fantastic Beats: The Secrets of Dumbledore is in theatres now.
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