Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald doesn’t have many beasts

Johnny Depp notwithstanding

I thoroughly enjoyed Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them for two reasons: 1) Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander was absolutely adorable and 2) the film finally let us explore the Wizarding World of Harry Potter instead of keeping us in school like some nerd. The American take on magic in the roaring 20s allowed for a much more inventive and interesting movie than foam battles. After the first trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, I was even more excited, so I actually perked up when I saw a new trailer was released.

It’s definitely… different. Like Chris said for the original trailer, there’s a much smaller emphasis on the beasts in. I only counted a few, one of which is Newt’s stick bug friend thing. The rest of the trailer shows Grindelwald absolutely wrecking the place with some dastardly black cloth while Redmayne looks as perplexed as usual.

Grindelwald, the OG muggle racist and Colin Farrell impersonator from the first film obviously has escaped capture and wants himself and other pure-bloods to take over the world. Not very subtle, but you don’t get Johnny Depp if you want that. (Side note, I’m super excited to see Johnny Depp in what appears to be a good movie again as it literally feels like a decade since one of those.)

So yeah, I am pretty excited for this movie, much moreso than the first. The CGI looks wonderfully creative and well integrated, which means we get to see even more of the magical world in motion, worth the price of admission alone for me. I am, however, slightly disappointed at the abundance of gray and black. The original Harry Potter’s at least took 2 movies to get dark, but the majority of the palette in the trailer is quite dark and brooding. Trailers are only meant to show glimpses of the movie, though, so my fingers are crossed for the sequel to have as much colour, whimsy and fun as the first one. If not, the already confirmed 3 sequels will have a shot at redemption. 

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald releases November 16.