For the most part, the wizarding world of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore was created in a renowned studio, but some of its scenes were filmed in real-world locations as well. Being a follow-up to the Harry Potter juggernaut, the Fantastic Beasts franchise helms the responsibility of rehashing and further stretching the magical boundaries of J.K. Rowling's wizarding universe. It achieves this not only through its cracking storylines and eccentric characters but also through its creative mise-en-scène.
Treading the same path as its predecessors, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore creates an immersive experience by anchoring its lore in the Harry Potter franchise while bringing new life to the visually-pleasing magical moments that make its cinematic universe so entertaining. Its overall critical response may be mixed, but with its right balance of heart, humor, and stunning imagery, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore offers the magical escapism that the franchise has always promised. Given the scalability of its visual elements, it is not surprising that most of its unique backdrops were built as sets on a studio lot. However, similar to the Harry Potter series, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore does not shy away from spanning all across the globe, featuring China, Rio de Janeiro, Berlin, and even Bhutan.
The principal photography of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore was initially scheduled to begin in London in March 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was postponed to September 2020. After being shot entirely in England, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore wrapped up its filming in March 2021. It was primarily shot at the Leavesden Studios, where green screens and creative set designs were used to construct its imaginative world.
Leavesden Studios, Leavesden, Hertfordshire, England, UK
Similar to its previous installments, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore was extensively filmed at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden. With extended digital effects and CGI, six sound stages and the studio's backlot were morphed into the film's scintillating backdrops. Director David Yates, also known for helming several Harry Potter films, expressed his gratitude towards the production at the Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden by quoting that (via WBSL) “It was a pleasure filming Fantastic Beasts: Secrets of Dumbledore at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden. The stages, backlot, and offices were the perfect home for our production, all supported by the very best teams.”
Windsor Great Park, Windsor, England, UK
Other than Leavesden Studios, reports suggest (via Surrey Live) that the crew of the film was also spotted at Windsor Great Park, specifically around Guards Polo Club near Egham Wick and Virginia Water. Because of its proximity to major film studios at Pinewood, Shepperton, Leavesden, and Longcross, many feature films such as Annihilation, No Time To Die, and Dolittle have also been filmed in the royal park. Some of its sections were also used as a backdrop for filming scenes depicted as the Hogwarts Grounds in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Was It Filmed In Any Other Real-World Locations?
Reports suggest that other than Windsor Great Park, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore was not filmed in any real-world locations. Although its premise spans many nations — from the German capital of Berlin to the Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan — all of them were reimagined and reconstructed on the vast backlot and sound stages of Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, which has also been confirmed by several reliable sources (via Twitter). Not to mention, a Twitter user (via Twitter) also pointed out that one of the set designs in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore was seemingly inspired by the Ring der Statuen from Rothschild Park in Frankfurt, but is not a real German location. In any case, the production seems to have been significantly less international than its content suggests.