Seven Urgent Questions I Have Concerning “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”

After seemingly endless months of waiting, the trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald has finally dropped at San Diego Comic-Con! Of course, it brings with it more questions than answers. Every moment of the trailer’s three minutes and sixteen seconds is packed with excitement, intrigue, and intricacies that MuggleNet will no doubt be unraveling in these final months before the film’s release. For now, here are seven of the most urgent questions I have concerning Crimes of Grindelwald.

 

1. What’s going on with our core four?

 

 

Tina seems to be immersed in the intensities of her Auror job, Newt has just been handed an incredible mission from Dumbledore, Jacob is tagging along with Newt, and the briefest flashes of Queenie show that she is extremely upset about something. Only Newt and Jacob appear to be on regular speaking terms, though Newt is seen reuinted with Tina in a few shots throughout the trailer. The central conflict of these films is the rise of Grindelwald and Dumbledore’s efforts to stop him; how will these four characters contribute to that conflict?

 

2. Will Queenie’s fate be the one that changes the future of all?

 

 

Queenie is never seen in the company of Newt, Tina, or Jacob in either Crimes of Grindelwald trailer. In one brief shot, she is seen covering her ears and looking incredibly distressed. There is a compelling case to be made that Queenie might be vulnerable to Grindelwald’s persuasion and might ultimately be swayed by his promises. Has she come to Paris to seek out Grindelwald? Will her choices in this movie seal her fate?

 

3. What is the relationship between Newt, Theseus, and Leta?

 

 

Leta says to Newt, “You’ve never met a monster you couldn’t love.” Is Leta acknowledging that she is a monster, or that she feels guilty about betraying Newt’s love for her? We know that Leta got Newt in enormous trouble during their Hogwarts years, and now Leta is engaged to Newt’s brother, Theseus. Theseus and Newt are seen fighting side by side, however, so does this mean that they’ve put their differences behind them?

 

4. Whose side will Credence end up on?

 

 

We see that Credence has gained more control over his powers in the intervening months, though his magic is still explosive. He appears to be on the run, hiding out with the Maledictus, but we later see that a man – apparently Ministry official Torquil Travers – has caught up with him. Is the Ministry of Magic pursuing Credence, or is Travers doing so under the orders of Grindelwald? Credence’s story in this film will likely be one of self-discovery, but at the end of the day, will he side with Grindelwald, who promises him power, or with Dumbledore and his allies, who promise him kindness?

 

5. Why does Dumbledore feel he cannot face Grindelwald?

 

 

It is clear that Grindelwald is immensely powerful – he escapes rapidly from his MACUSA captors and appears to have the ability to fly unsupported. He also holds the Elder Wand and has gathered quite a large following behind him. But the trailer reveals a deeper reason for Dumbledore’s reluctance to face Grindelwald. Grindelwald is apparently the “deepest, most desperate desire” of Dumbledore’s heart. Does Grindelwald, like Voldemort, believe that love is a weakness to be exploited? Does Dumbledore fear he is weakened by his love for Grindelwald? Or is Dumbledore simply afraid to know the truth about Ariana’s death and to have the possibility of Grindelwald’s love taken from him forever?

 

6. What is Nicolas Flamel’s role in all this?

 

 

Finally, we’re introduced to Nicolas Flamel! Apparently, the Elixir of Immortality does not also bestow vitality – at over 600 years of age, Flamel is exceedingly brittle. What could Newt and Jacob want to consult him for? Is Grindelwald seeking immortality? Did Dumbledore send them on his behalf to receive some wisdom from his old friend? Or have they sought him out for their own purposes? Newt seems intent on bringing Jacob along with him on his quest, and since Jacob is a Muggle, this puts him in excessive danger. Perhaps they need a small stash of the Elixir of Immortality so that Jacob can temporarily protect himself from death.

 

7. Is that a Quintaped?

 

 

Newt faces down this terrifying beast in a brief scene, and a quick flip through Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them reveals that it could very well be a deadly Quintaped. That’s not the only dangerous beast we could potentially be seeing in this film – earlier in the trailer, what looks like a large black cloak is seen draping itself over buildings and swooping down toward Newt and Tina. It does not resemble Credence’s Obscurial energy, but it could easily be a Lethifold, a deadly, suffocating creature resembling a black cape. Perhaps the beasts we meet will be as dark as the film is supposed to be.

 

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald will be released on November 16, 2018, and perhaps we’ll finally get some answers to our questions. Meanwhile, let the wild speculation begin!