If you’re trying to start (or re-start) a film franchise these days, it’s pretty much a given that the first entry will include some amount of set up for future films in the series. The temptation to stuff a film with hints toward future installments can sometimes derail the project altogether, as was the case with both ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ and ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’. ‘Fantastic Beasts’ and Where to Find Them’ seems to know when to restrain itself in that regard, as we’re already learning about cut scenes that would have served almost exclusively to tease future films.
I know I mentioned it in the title, but from this point on, there will be MAJOR SPOILERS for ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them‘, including details of the ending. So if you haven’t seen the film yet, you bookmark this article and come back after watching the movie. I’ll wait.
Ready? Okay, good.
During the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ press junket in New York last week, producer David Heyman detailed a deleted scene in which Credence Barebone, who had seemingly been killed earlier in the film would have been revealed alive and well:
“We actually had a scene, which we cut, which was Credence going to a boat, to get on a boat somewhere else. But we cut that, because we didn’t want to have it be such an, “Ahhh, here we go.”
[The scene was] him getting on a boat, maybe a boat with Newt, maybe not, and heading off out of New York.”
Later in the discussion, Heyman also addressed the question of which characters will continue to be involved with the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ franchise going forward. After confirming that Dumbledore will be appearing in the follow-up films, he offered the following comment:
“I don’t think [Newt will be at] the heart of all of them. I think he’ll be part — so will Tina, Queenie and Jacob — will be part of the next one. And Credence and Grindelwald. I think they will be the main players.”
‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ is the first in a planned series of five films written by series author J.K. Rowling and sees the return of veteran ‘Harry Potter’ director David Yates. The film stars Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Colin Farrel, Ron Perlman, Carmen Ejogo, Samantha Morton, Jon Voight, Dan Fogler, and Katherine Waterston. The film is in theaters now for its opening weekend.
