A behind-the-scenes exclusive for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore indicates that the movie's best trick may very well be distracting audiences from its plot holes. The featurette sees Newt Scamander actor Eddie Redmayne praise the film for its "absolute spectacle," suggesting that while Fantastic Beasts 3 may be visually impressive, the visual effects may serve as a way to divert viewers from the inconsistencies for which the previous installments have been criticized. The third film of the five-movie series will focus on Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) as he rallies a group of wizards (and Dan Fogler's Muggle Jacob Kowalski) in an attempt to stop Gellert Grindelwald's (Mads Mikkelsen) reign of terror. As such, the film's duels promise to be grand.
The Fantastic Beasts 3 trailers have already shown a myriad of impressive fights: Dumbledore vs. Grindelwald, Dumbledore vs. Credence, a fight on the streets of Bhutan, and another one at Hogwarts. Fantastic Beasts 1 and 2 used great visual effects (the magical creatures suitcase and the Paris circus at the top of the list), but it seems like the third movie will even top the Harry Potter films. Christian Manz, the visual supervisor who has worked extensively in the Harry Potter universe, said for him The Order of the Phoenix's Dumbledore-Voldemort duel is the most impressive magic scene but assured that Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore will top that.
Callum Turner, who plays Newt's brother Theseus, also confirmed Fantastic Beasts 3 will be "a real magic cinematic experience." But this is a double-edged sword: while visual effects are a sight to behold, they also distract from the film's plot. And in the case of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, it almost seems like the distraction is being done on purpose. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald has been criticized for its plot holes, such as the egregious error in introducing a young Minerva McGonagall (Fiona Glascott) to the screen. In the movie, she is seen teaching at Hogwarts in 1927 (and even appears in a 1910 flashback), when Minerva's original Pottermore date of birth is October 4, 1935. If the Fantastic Beasts series plans to continue being careless with the Harry Potter canon, visual effects are a sure way to distract viewers from these mistakes.
On a more positive note, Fantastic Beasts 3 being more visually stunning gives a better meaning to the previous film. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald might have appeared slow and uneventful, but as this is the second movie in a five-movie series, it can be understood as a build-up toward the much more dramatic Fantastic Beasts 3. With Dumbledore and Grindelwald meeting face-to-face for the first time since 1899 and Grindelwald's power rising to a more dangerous level than ever before, it's safe to say Fantastic Beasts 3 will be very action-packed.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore promises to be a pleasant cinematic experience and a great story, exploring Dumbledore and Grindelwald's relationship after years of Harry Potter fans demanding more details. Visual effects have never been more fitting than for a movie that sees several magical duels happening across the world. However, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore will have to focus just as much on telling a tight story if it is to respect its fans and save the franchise.
