What Hints Have the New “Fantastic Beasts” Photos Brought Us?
When we saw the new images from the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them set, our hearts started dancing the conga line. These beautiful photos, from Entertainment Weekly’s James Hibberd, have given us more questions but may give us a few clues as to what this movie is all about! We eagerly analyzed them to find any information we could:
In this first image, Newt Scamander stares us down standing on the seal for the Magical Congress of the United States of America. Thanks to Twitter, we know a massive protest scene was filmed with crowds chanting “We want a second Salem!” Also spotted: a sign reading “No Witchcraft in America” and a banner with the initials “NSPS.” What does NSPS stand for? No Spells, Purge Sorcery? Nix this Shameful Plague of Sinners? Newt Scamander Particularly Stinks? We can’t be sure, but it’s probably not very nice.
Why is Newt crouched down on the floor of this fancy building? Is this the interior of the Magical Congress? He looks startled and is keeping his briefcase close. We don’t know if the Magical Congress will help or hinder Newt during his story, but Newt’s alarmed expression suggests someone inside this building might not be more friend than foe.
It’s hard to make out a lot of the words in this image, but the word “Supplies” is clearly visible over Newt’s head. Is this a wizarding supply store? It seems strange that Jacob, a No-Maj, would be standing outside a wizarding supply shop, but if there are anti-magic protests going on, maybe contact between magical and non-magical folk is more common in America. In addition, the sisters are standing far apart – a sign of some kind of sibling rivalry?
Queenie seems much more at ease than Newt and Tina in almost all of these photos. She may be uninvolved in their escapade we saw in the other photos, or maybe she’s waiting on her sister and Newt somewhere safe.
Newt is gazing off in a different direction than everyone else in this photo, briefcase in his right hand and an indistinguishable piece of paper in his left. Is it a train ticket? Behind him is a grate, and a similar one can be seen in the fourth image. It’s possible these gates are the way American wizards and witches travel to a magical sector of the city!
Tina is now holding Newt’s briefcase – maybe he handed it off to her to keep it safe from whomever he was dueling in the next image. The blue sign also mentions telephone booths inside; can American witches and wizards travel through phone booths like Harry and Mr. Weasley in Order of the Phoenix?
Newt looks ready for a duel here! Does he have his wand out in the middle of a No-Maj street, or is he in a wizard-only area? Maybe somewhere beneath the streets of New York there’s an American equivalent of Diagon Alley, and Newt Scamander is duking it out with someone who wants to steal the contents of his mysterious briefcase. There also seems to be a Christmas tree inside of Blanchard and Gable; is it December 1926? And what are the blue orbs inside the store window?
Newt and Tina look pretty worried in this photo – are they being followed? Newt has still got his briefcase close. Maybe Tina swooped in to help Newt get out of the Congress building, and now they’re on their way to somewhere safe. It definitely seems that Tina is in charge here, dragging a bewildered Newt along the street.
What do you think? Have you found something in these photos we’ve missed? Let us know, and let the sleuthing begin!
