Voldemort isn't the only notorious dark wizard in J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World. Before He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, there was Gellert Grindelwald, and the new Harry Potter series Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is going to explore his story even more.
Full spoilers for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them continue below.
Johnny Depp's take on the character made his debut in the first Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film. The movie opened with a look at some of the dark wizard's recent offenses in Europe, and closed with the reveal that he'd been hiding out in New York under the guise of auror Percival Graves (Colin Farrell). While the movie didn't get deep into his motivations, it did introduce him as a primary antagonist and someone whose main goal is to have the wizarding community come out into the open and be dominant over the non-magic community.
With J.K. Rowling confirming that her plan is to have the fifth Fantastic Beasts film take place in 1945, it's become clear that Grindelwald is going to be the main force of antagonism in this series. It's a smart move, because in many ways he was the Voldemort before Voldemort was around. In fact, the most famous dark wizard battle in history before Harry fought He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was in 1945 between Grindelwald and Albus Dumbledore.
But first, some history into who Grindelwald is. He was born in Eastern Europe and went to school at Durmstrang Institute in Scandinavia. There he found himself drawn to the Dark Arts, and was expelled for what Dumbledore described to Harry Potter as "twisted experiments." While there, he became obsessed with the Deathly Hallows -- again, another focal point of the final Harry Potter novel/films -- which he believed would help him be invincible.
The connection between Grindelwald and Dumbledore is something that was explored in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1; a young version of Grindelwald even appeared in the film, played by Jamie Campbell Bower in a flashback sequence. These flashbacks explore the complicated relationship between Grindelwald and Dumbledore that seems like it will be a focal point of the Fantastic Beasts series.
It was after his expulsion from Durmstrang that Grindelwald met Albus Dumbledore. At the turn of the century, Grindelwald went to try to learn more about the Deathly Hallows in Godric's Hollow (the same place Voldemort killed Harry's parents). Both Grindelwald and Dumbledore were fascinated with the Hallows and wanted to acquire all three, though their motivations were different. Together they planned to start a new world order where witches and wizards ruled over everyone, including non-magic citizens. While Dumbeldore imagined them more as benevolent rulers, Grindelwald had darker ambitions.
Their plans came to a grinding halt when Dumbledore's brother Aberforth tried to stop his brother and Grindelwald from leaving, and the three became embattled in a three-way fight that resulted in the death of Dumbledore's sister, Ariana. (Interestingly, it could be read that Ariana also was an Obscurial -- a child with repressed magical abilities that turn into a dark, powerful force -- which could be explored in future films.) Grindelwald fled England and, in doing so, became blamed for Ariana's death. From then on he continued the revolutionary ambitions he and Dumbledore had fantasized about solo.
That backstory is pivotal to understanding how Grindelwald's story fits into the Fantastic Beasts world. By the time Where to Find Them takes place, more than two decades have passed since Grindelwald's rise to power. The movie touches on some of the themes of him wanting to dominate muggles and no-majs; in fact, it's "Percival Graves'" speech at the end about how the US's Magical Congress is looking out for the benefit of no-majs and not wizards that tipped off Seraphina Picquery to his real identity.
Grindelwald might be captured for now, but he absolutely is getting out and will continue to cause trouble. His reign of terror continues across the world until 1945 (not coincidentally the same year as the end of World War II) when Dumbledore confronts and defeats him in a duel. (Notably, this is the eventual Headmaster of Hogwarts's biggest claim to fame.) With the Fantastic Beasts films also culminating in 1945, there's a very, very good chance audiences will get to see that battle take place on the big screen as part of the climax of this new series.
In Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Grindelwald is looking for a powerful dark weapon to continue his fight. Though the audience is meant to think it's Graves who is courting Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller) with promises of gaining magical powers, it's actually Grindelwald who is handing him the Deathly Hallows necklace (the first hint Graves is more than he seems) and trying to track down the Obscurial. He failed in this mission, but chances are he's going to continue looking for powerful dark magic throughout the series to try to master control of the world.
So how does Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) fit into this? The first Fantastic Beasts film already established that Newt and Dumbledore have a close relationship -- and Grindelwald knows it. He (as Graves) asked Newt what it was about him that caused his teacher Dumbledore to stick up for him during his expulsion. Later in the movie, Grindelwald clearly holds Newt responsible for his capture. With Grindelwald aware of Newt's connection to Dumbledore, the Magizoologist-to-be already is in his line of fire. And with Dumbledore's affinity for him, chances are Newt will be called upon to take part in the fight against Grindelwald in future films.
The first Fantastic Beasts movie is similar in tone to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, but like that Rowling series, the first installment was simply a way to introduce audiences into the bigger battle being fought. Then it was the war against Voldemort, and now it's the fight to take down Grindelwald. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2 will be set in Paris (back on the European front), Depp has been confirmed to return as Grindelwald and Dumbledore also is confirmed to appear in that movie, so expect all these key details to come together and create the backbone of the series going forward.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is currently in theaters, and its sequel comes out on November 16, 2018.
Terri Schwartz is Entertainment Editor at IGN. Talk to her on Twitter at @Terri_Schwartz.
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