Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Newt rescues a baby qilin, a creature that can see a person's soul and picks leaders. Grindelwald, cleared by the German Ministry, runs to lead the International Confederation of Wizards. Dumbledore can't fight him because of their blood pact, so he puts together a team with Newt, Theseus, Jacob and others. Credence learns he is the son of Aberforth, Dumbledore's brother. At the election in Bhutan, Grindelwald uses a bewitched dead qilin and wins, but Credence exposes the fraud. The real qilin bows to Dumbledore, who steps aside, and Vicência Santos is elected. Dumbledore and Grindelwald break the pact in a duel, and Grindelwald walks away. A weakened Credence goes home with Aberforth. Jacob and Queenie get married. Their feud is left unresolved.

1. Behind the scenesMads Mikkelsen takes over Grindelwald

   Johnny Depp was asked to step down in November 2020, and Mads Mikkelsen came in that same month. He said copying Depp would be "creative suicide."

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2. Behind the scenesSteve Kloves returns

   Steve Kloves, screenwriter of the Harry Potter films, came back to co-write this one with J.K. Rowling. It was the first time she shared screenplay duties on the Fantastic Beasts series.

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3. ReferenceThe qilin comes from Chinese myth

   The qilin, the creature that picks the leader, comes from Chinese mythology, where it's linked to just rulers. No wonder the film opens in China.

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4. SetupAberforth's mirrors

   Credence talks to Aberforth through an enchanted mirror. A mirror for talking at a distance comes back later in the saga.

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