The plot ignites when a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler) accidentally swaps suitcases with Newt. Suddenly, a Demiguise, an Erumpent, and a host of other beasts are loose in the city. While Newt scrambles to recapture his escapees, the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) is on high alert. The city is already tense due to the machinations of the enigmatic Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller), a troubled young man exploited by the fanatical New Salem Philanthropic Society, and the charismatic but dangerous Percival Graves (Colin Farrell), who is hunting a mysterious, destructive force known as the Obscurus.
8.5/10
The success of any franchise rests on the shoulders of its leads, and Fantastic Beasts - 2016 delivered a quartet of protagonists that differed significantly from the Golden Trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016) was a box office success, grossing over $814 million worldwide. It won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design and breathed new life into the franchise. However, with the benefit of hindsight, the 2016 film also serves as a time capsule. It set up plot threads (Cre dence’s survival, Grindelwald’s escape) that would become tangled in the subsequent sequels ( The Crimes of Grindelwald and The Secrets of Dumbledore ).