WARNING! Contains SPOILERS for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
While many consider the latest installment in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World franchise, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, a marked improvement from its predecessor, the film still has many problems – not least with the number of plot holes in Gellert Grindelwald’s plan. Mads Mikkelsen’s interpretation of the film’s villain, previously played by Johnny Depp, has been praised by critics and audiences alike. However, despite Mikkelsen’s efforts, Fantastic Beasts 3’s mixed reviews are indicative of bigger problems that plague the Harry Potter prequel, beyond the fact that Mikkelsen himself doesn’t look anything like Depp’s version of the character.
Eddie Redmayne’s adventures as Newt Scamander began in 2016 with Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, but the series has since shifted its focus from magical creatures to the rise and fall of Grindelwald, a Dark Wizard with schemes grander than even Lord Voldemort. Fantastic Beasts 3 follows Albus Dumbledore’s (Jude Law) first army, made up of Newt and his Auror brother Theseus (Callum Turner), Muggle Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), and more as they look to thwart Grindelwald’s plans to become the leader of the International Confederation of Wizards and declare war on the Muggles. The headmaster of Hogwarts can’t act against the wielder of the Elder Wand because of the blood pact they have, so Newt and the rest must carry out Dumbledore’s plan to defeat Grindelwald.
Grindelwald’s change in appearance in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore from Depp’s heterochromatic, albino look to Mikkelsen’s gentlemanly yet menacing presence, isn’t too problematic as characters are often recast. However, Fantastic Beasts 3 creates problems largely from its insistence on ignoring many of Grindelwald’s actions from Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald altogether. The first two Fantastic Beasts movies saw Grindelwald not only using Credence’s Obscurus to cause destruction in an attempt to expose the magical community, but also killing many of the witches and wizards sent to bring him before the Ministry to answer for his crimes. Among those killed was Leta Lestrange (Zoë Kravitz), who had a close relationship with both Scamander brothers. However, the consequences of these destructive acts are barely addressed during Fantastic Beasts 3, raising several questions about the series’ continuity.
The Secrets of Dumbledore’s first plot hole involves Grindelwald’s trial before the ICW whereupon the Dark Wizard is found not guilty of his crimes against the Muggle community. However, this trial doesn’t address the fact that Grindelwald killed dozens of wizards during his rally at Cimetière du Père-Lachaise. The blue fire he conjures to surround himself incinerated many Aurors and would have destroyed the French cemetery and all of Paris if not for the combined efforts of Newt, Theseus, Tina (Katherine Waterston), and Nicolas Flamel (Brontis Jodorowsky). Grindelwald’s murders at Père-Lachaise are more consequential than his actions during the first Fantastic Beasts film yet they go unconsidered by the ICW.
The fact that Fantastic Beasts 3 doesn’t address Johnny Depp’s Grindelwald recast isn’t too big of a problem, but ignoring Leta Lestrange’s sacrifice at the end of The Crimes of Grindelwald leaves a much larger plot hole. Leta was Theseus’ fiancée and Newt’s closest, if not only friend at Hogwarts. Despite the relationship the Scamander brothers held with Leta, neither Newt nor Theseus mentioned Leta at all in The Secrets of Dumbledore. The only mention of Leta’s death at the hand of Grindelwald is by Yusuf Kama (William Nadylam), Leta’s half-brother, and he is quickly relieved of his memories of her by Grindelwald himself.
The unexplained shift from Johnny Depp’s Grindelwald to Mads Mikkelsen’s interpretation is buried by much larger plot holes that burden the franchise. Whether or not the Wizarding World will get its planned sequels, Fantastic Beasts 4 and Fantastic Beasts 5, remains to be seen. However, there’s no doubt that Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore provides more questions than answers about several of its key characters.
