Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore has a lot working against it: the J.K. Rowling connection, the indifferent critical and commercial response to Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, the fact that a film series with “Fantastic Beasts” in the title often forgets to include any actual fantastic beasts. We just want Pokémon Snap with wizards, is that too much to ask? All that being said, The Secrets of Dumbledore also has Jude Law and Mads Mikkelsen (filling in for Johnny Depp in an all-time upgrade) casting spells at each other, so I will see it opening weekend.
Here’s the official plot summary:
Professor Albus Dumbledore (Law) knows the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Mikkelsen) is moving to seize control of the wizarding world. Unable to stop him alone, he entrusts Magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) to lead an intrepid team of wizards, witches and one brave Muggle baker on a dangerous mission, where they encounter old and new beasts and clash with Grindelwald’s growing legion of followers. But with the stakes so high, how long can Dumbledore remain on the sidelines?
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, which also stars Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Callum Turner, William Nadylam, Poppy Corby-Tuech, and Jessica Williams with a screenplay from Rowling and Steve Kloves, opens on April 15, 2022.
