Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is the third installment in the Fantastic Beasts film series, serving as a prequel to the Harry Potter saga. Released in 2022, the film continues the story of Newt Scamander and Albus Dumbledore as they work to thwart the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald's ascent to power in the wizarding world during the 1930s. The central plot revolves around Grindelwald's manipulation of a magical election and Dumbledore's efforts to counter him despite being bound by a magical Blood Pact (film).

The film opens with Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald meeting, where they acknowledge the Blood Pact that prevents them from harming one another. Elsewhere, Newt Scamander assists a Qilin—a rare, gentle creature capable of seeing a person's true soul—as it gives birth to twins. Grindelwald's acolytes, led by Credence Barebone, attack, killing the mother and kidnapping one of the fawns. Grindelwald sacrifices the young Qilin to gain precognitive abilities, but is unaware that a second twin was born and rescued by Newt. Fearing Grindelwald's ability to see the future, Dumbledore devises a plan based on confusion and misdirection. He enlists Newt, his brother Theseus Scamander, Ilvermorny Charms Professor Eulalie Hicks (Lally), wizard Yusuf Kama, and the No-Maj Jacob Kowalski to undertake a series of disconnected tasks. Dumbledore provides Jacob with a wand as a gift. The group's mission is to prevent Grindelwald from being elected as the new Supreme Mugwump of the International Confederation of Wizards (ICW). The team travels to Berlin, where they attempt to disrupt the German Ministry of Magic's endorsement of Grindelwald. Queenie Goldstein, who had joined Grindelwald, uses Legilimency to probe Jacob's mind but is visibly troubled by Grindelwald's manipulative nature. Following an attempt to frame Jacob for an attack on the current Supreme Mugwump, Anton Vogel, Theseus is arrested and taken to the secret German prison, Erkstag. Newt and Lally successfully rescue him from the high-security facility, which is guarded by vicious Manticore-like creatures (film). Meanwhile, Dumbledore meets with Credence, revealing his true identity as Aurelius Dumbledore, the illegitimate son of his brother, Aberforth Dumbledore. He explains that Credence's life is being consumed by the Obscurus inside him. The climax takes place in Bhutan, the site of the ICW election. According to ancient tradition, a Qilin is used to choose the new leader by bowing to the candidate it deems pure of heart. Grindelwald uses Necromancy to reanimate the dead Qilin fawn, which he manipulates to bow before him, securing his victory. As he declares war on the Muggle world, Credence exposes the deception. Newt then presents the surviving Qilin, which first bows to Dumbledore, who declines the leadership, and then to a worthy candidate, Vicência Santos of Brazil, who is rightfully elected. Enraged, Grindelwald attempts to kill Credence. Albus and Aberforth Dumbledore cast defensive spells to protect him. Their magic collides with Grindelwald's attack, and the sympathetic nature of their spells finally breaks the Blood Pact. A brief, intense duel erupts between Dumbledore and Grindelwald, which ends in a stalemate before both Disapparate. In the aftermath, the ailing Credence is taken home by his father, Aberforth. The film concludes with Jacob and Queenie's wedding at Jacob's bakery in New York, attended by Newt, Tina Goldstein, Theseus, and Dumbledore.

• Newt Scamander: A Magizoologist tasked by Dumbledore to lead a team against Grindelwald.
• Albus Dumbledore: The powerful wizard who orchestrates the plan to stop Grindelwald but is initially unable to fight him directly due to their Blood Pact.
• Gellert Grindelwald: The primary antagonist, a charismatic and dangerous dark wizard seeking to dominate the wizarding world and wage war on Muggles.
• Jacob Kowalski: The brave No-Maj baker who joins the mission, primarily hoping to rescue Queenie.
• Credence Barebone (Aurelius Dumbledore): A powerful Obscurial serving Grindelwald, who learns the truth of his parentage as Aberforth Dumbledore's son.
• Eulalie Hicks: A witty and highly skilled Charms professor from the American wizarding school, Ilvermorny.
• Theseus Scamander: Newt's older brother and an Auror at the British Ministry of Magic.
• Queenie Goldstein: A powerful Legilimens who initially sides with Grindelwald but ultimately returns to Jacob.
• Aberforth Dumbledore: Albus's estranged brother and the bartender at the Hog's Head Inn, revealed to be Credence's father.

• Qilin: A magical beast central to the plot. It can perceive a person's inner soul and is used to select the leader of the International Confederation of Wizards.
• Blood Pact: A magical vial containing the intertwined blood of Dumbledore and Grindelwald, which prevents them from moving against one another. It is destroyed when their spells clash while protecting a common blood relation, Credence.
• Erkstag: A bleak, high-security German wizarding prison where inmates are fed to monstrous creatures resembling Manticores (film).
• Election of the Supreme Mugwump: An ancient ritual held in Bhutan where candidates are judged by a Qilin for their purity of heart.

• The film was directed by David Yates, who directed the final four Harry Potter films and all previous Fantastic Beasts films (film).
• The screenplay was co-written by J.K. Rowling and Steve Kloves, who wrote the screenplays for seven of the eight original Harry Potter films (film).
• Actor Mads Mikkelsen took over the role of Gellert Grindelwald, replacing Johnny Depp from the previous films (film).
• The film delves deeper into the complex relationship and history between Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald, a topic only hinted at in the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows novel.
• The character of Tina Goldstein, a main protagonist in the first two films, has a significantly reduced role, appearing only briefly at the end of the movie (film).