Possible movie titles for the first “Fantastic Beasts” film
Our own social media intern, Sierra, shares her thoughts on the possible titles for the first film in the highlyanticipated series about Newt Scamander and fantastic beasts.
With details about the newest project from J.K. Rowling quickly surfacing with each passing day, we’re left to speculate on what the Fantastic Beasts films might be called. Unlike the Potter films, which had a wealth of source material to draw on, we only have a mere 42-page textbook this time around to guide us through all of the theorizing and guessing games that are sure to come. So what exactly could the titles of the Fantastic Beasts films be? Here are four of our best guesses.
1. The Obvious Title Choice: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
No surprises here, but it would be the obvious, seemingly natural choice to take the title straight from the book itself. Even easier would be keeping the full name and calling it Fantastic Beasts for short. It’s simple, straight to the point, and kind of exciting in its own way. A title like this suggests that you don’t have to have read the textbook to be intrigued by these supposedly fantastic beasts and the adventure you’ll be going on to find them. Many movie goers hitting the box office to go see the film when it’s released, including many Potter fans I’m willing to bet, will likely not have read the entire book – some maybe not at all. So sticking with a title that already has the appeal of fantasy and adventure could be a good hook for filmmakers looking to draw people in.
2. The Potter Tie-in: Newt Scamander and the [insert appropriate beast/location/quest here]
One thing filmmakers taking the Potter series to the big screen had going for them from the get-go was the easy adaptability of the books’ titles. Every book was already tied together in a uniform rhythm by the opening “Harry Potter and the…“ followed by whatever particular plot point Harry would be facing. Keeping in line with this theme from the books lets film makers easily unify the film series as well as give an early sneak peak at what adventures a particular upcoming installment might have. The same trick could come in handy for the Fantastic Beasts films. By going with a similar presentation, “Newt Scamander and the [add in appropriate teaser title here],” we get an introduction to our main protagonist and added info about his story that a simple “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” does not provide. It’s also an easy way to pay homage to the Potter films, though filmmakers may worry that such a connection won’t allow Fantastic Beasts to take off on its own. How much of a tie-in to Harry’s story is too much?
3. The Title Trend: [Subtitles!]
Gone are the days when movies and their sequels were named with a simple numbering system: Spiderman, Spiderman 2, and – wait for it – Spiderman 3! Whether or not the Fantastic Beasts title is anything like the two options listed above, it would not be altogether surprising to see some kind of subtitle come in to play. It’s a popular trend in film right now – especially among YA book adaptations and the fantasy/sci-fi genre. Instead of simply naming each film after a book in the series it’s adapted from, more often we’re starting to see catchy names that unify the film series: The Twilight Saga: New Moon; Thor: The Dark World; The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey; Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The list could go on and on. And because we know that Rowling intends for this to be a series of films as opposed to just one, it’s the perfect set-up for a subtitling frenzy. Could we be seeing Newt Scamander: Nogtails in New York or Fantastic Beasts: Rise of the Manticore coming soon to a theater near you?
4. The Out of Left-Field Title: ???
Of course, for all we know, the filmmakers will pull a completely unexpected move and give the movie a title that no one but Ms. Rowling herself saw coming. We all know how ingenious J.K. Rowling is, and because she herself is penning the screenplay, she’ll have ideas coming to life no one could possibly think of in connection to our knowledge of the would-be movie. Perhaps she has a plot detail up her sleeve à la Deathly Hallows to make the title? Or maybe more obscure details about the setting and characters will make it in. Either way, the one big advantage and disadvantage to this strategy are one and the same: Would a more unexpected title help draw in a more universal audience? Or would it only help alienate the already drooling-at-the-mouth Potter fans sure to see the film anyway?
The possibilities for a title are seemingly endless. While we do have some details about the film, it’s still not a lot, leaving plenty of room for speculation. So what do you think? Could the Fantastic Beasts film have a chance of one of the title options listed above? Or will it snag up something else clever and unexpected? What do you want to see the movie called? Let us know in the comments! We would love to hear your ideas.
