With the next Fantastic Beasts film having been announced and production beginning shortly, several fans have begun speculating as to what another film in this franchise could mean for the characters, the plot, and the wizarding worlds' descent into darkness at the hands of the insidious Grindelwald.
Though there are still three films left in the Fantastic Beasts franchise through which the remaining character arcs and major plot points will be explored, it is important to note that the majority of the plot-lines in the series will not be wrapped up anytime soon. In honour of the holiday season, we've created a short wish-list for the content that we wish to see in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts film.
A DumbledorexGrindelwald Romance
One of the most frustrating moments of the Crimes of Grindelwald was the fact that the romance between Grindelwald and Dumbledore was completely absent. Though it was originally just a theory, Rowling later confirmed that the two fell in love in their youth but split ways after Dumbledore could no longer stomach Grindelwald's more extreme views.
Many fans felt like this film was the perfect chance to explore this romance and were truly disappointed by the fact that said romance was only briefly hinted to with a throwaway double entendre. Hopefully, future films explore this romance in a more legitimate way.
A Queenie Redemption Arc (Or At Least The Start of One)
Queenie was one of the shining stars in the galaxy that was the first Fantastic Beasts film. Her delicate strength was a beautiful contrast to the "kick-down-a-wall" type of strong female characters that are featured in most modern films and it was wonderful to see a character be allowed to be both powerful and traditionally feminine.
Which is why her being brought over to the dark side was such a shocking and painful moment for so many fans of the series. Though the choice to have her seduced by Grindelwald's message was a brilliant way of showing how even the purest souls can be corrupted by a master manipulator, we are still holding onto the hope that the gang will be able to save her before she is truly consumed by the darkness.
Some Romance Between Newt & Tina
Though it has been nice to watch a romance slowly build over time between these two (rather than being rushed and shoehorned into the plot,) there is such a thing as too slow. And while the bumps in their relationship make sense due to the events which transpired in the second film in the franchise, the NewtxTina shippers of the world are craving a bit more than sparks between these two.
As we near the end of this new series, we hope that the pace of their awkward yet lovable romance picks up a bit.
Justice For Credence
Credence might be one of the most mistreated characters in the history of the Harry Potter franchise (and that is truly saying something.) From being abused in his adoptive home by the worst mother since Stephen King's Carrie to being groomed by Percival/Grindelwald, this character has been given a rather raw deal from the universe.
Though Tina and Newt have done their best to show him love, kindness, and make him feel like he truly belongs (and is worthy of such things) the poor kid just cannot catch a break and Grindelwald continues to hunt him down and manipulate him into doing his bidding. Hopefully future films show Credece a touch of mercy.
The "Dumbledore Bomb" To Be Disproven
One of the most controversial moments of the series was the one where it was "revealed" to Credence that he is the lost Dumbledore brother. While some people took this as a sign that Rowling had finally gone off the deep-end and began shouting "death of the author" from the rooftops, others were not so convinced.
Some believe that this "revelation" is simply another manipulation tactic being employed to groom and abuse poor Credence and that this "fact" was carefully chosen as it would cement Credence's place in the wizarding world (in his own mind) and also cause him to be hesitant to trust Dumbledore for withholding such a thing and be more likely to trust Grindelwald for being kind enough to share the information. Hopefully, the next film in the series exposes this "fact" for what it is- another bald-faced lie by a master manipulator who cannot leave this poor kid alone.
The Start Of The End
Though we all want no ill will to befall these beloved characters, it is important to note that the storyline that the Fantastic Beasts films have chosen to follow is a rather dark one. Often referred to in the original Potter series as the darkest moment in wizarding history, fans of the series know that these new films will continue to follow the world's descent into a prejudice sparked all-consuming war.
However, some fans have complained that this descent has been a touch too slow. Though it is understandable, as we are only two films into a five-film journey, it would be worth noting that increasing the pace at which the darkness spreads could make it easier for audiences to understand how bleak these times truly were.
Some More Hogwarts Flashbacks
Some of the most exciting and entertaining moments in the Crimes of Grindelwald were the moments spent at Hogwarts. Simply put, Hogwarts is an iconic location in the series and visiting a version of this castle that we never got to see during our journeys with the Potter timeline is truly rewarding and utterly brilliant!
Hopefully, future installments in the Fantastic Beasts series show a bit more vintage Hogwarts during their runtime. Might we even get a sneak peek of the other wizarding schools scattered across the world?
A Bit More Comedy
Though it is a given that things are going to be getting a bit darker as this series continues, it is important to note that some of the best (and the most universally beloved) moments in the series to date have been the more traditionally comedic moments.
And, like with the original Harry Potter films, the darker films in the series will require a bit of levity in order to prevent them from being emotionally exhausting to watch. These fun and light moments help bring a bit of fun to the more sinister plotlines and such things can be necessary when the wizarding world starts to take a turn for the worse.
More Callbacks!
Though some more pedantic fans have taken to the internet to complain about the inaccuracy of some of the callbacks that were seen in the second film of the Fantastic Beasts series, the simple fact of the matter is that these callbacks are truly a delight to witness (and it truly is not the biggest deal if they bend canon a tiny bit in order to make them work!)
In future installments of the series, we would like more callbacks to the original series and to other information we've already received about the wizarding world! Such things really add to the immersion and makes the fictional world feel real to those who consume the films!
More Beasts, Please!
Though the film series is referred to as the "Fantastic Beast" series, there was a strikingly low amount of beasts in the second film of the new franchise. The first film was absolutely brimming with magical creatures, so the precedent is there.
And though we do love the Grindelwald plot and following the wizarding world into darkness for the second time, we just really hope that there is a bit more time spent with the beasts in the upcoming third addition to the series (unless that puts them in harm's way, of course!)