Throughout development, Warner Bros. did a swell job of keeping all things Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them under wraps. We knew it was based on author J.K. Rowling’s book of the same name—which itself was a sort of encyclopedia about the wild creatures found in the Harry Potter universe—and we knew Rowling was making her screenwriting debut on the feature, but that was about it. Luckily, as production began in the U.K., much more was revealed early this month, from story points to character details to debut images, and now high-resolution versions of said photos have been released online to further entice Harry Potter fans.

So what is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them? Well the story takes place in the same universe as Harry Potter, but is set in 1920s New York. Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne leads an ensemble cast as Newt Scamander, an English magizoologist who arrives in New York with a trusty weathered briefcase in hand, where he crosses paths with a number of other folks from the Wizarding World. However, “magic folk” are much more denigrated in the United States, with “no-maj’s” (ie. the American word for “muggles”) forcing most wizards and witches to hide their true selves. However, when Newt’s case—which is full of magical creatures—pops open and unleashes some very odd beasts in New York, he and his new friends find themselves in a bit of a pickle.


David Yates, who helmed the final four Harry Potter films, is in the director’s chair, and I can hardly contain my excitement for this particular feature. The casting is excellent (Katherine Waterston, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton, Ezra Miller and more fill out the ensemble), the premise is enticing, and most importantly this feels wholly fresh while remaining part of the glorious Wizard World that Rowling crafted with her brilliant Harry Potter series.

So, while we count down the days until the film’s release, check out the high-resolution images below, and click for a closer look. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them opens in theaters on November 18, 2016.

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Image via Warner Bros.
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Image via Warner Bros.

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Image via Warner Bros.
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Image via Warner Bros.