# Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
*Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore* is a 2022 fantasy film, the third installment in the *Fantastic Beasts* series and a prequel to the *Harry Potter* films, directed by [David Yates](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-yates) and distributed by [Warner Bros. Pictures](https://www.edgepedia.org/warner-bros-pictures). It follows magizoologist [Newt Scamander](https://www.edgepedia.org/newt-scamander) (Eddie Redmayne) as he leads a team assembled by Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) against the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen), who is moving to seize control of the wizarding world.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fantastic_beasts_the_secrets_of_dumbledore)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | Internationally from 7–8 April 2022; North America April 15, 2022[2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaM_wL1ZOM4) |
| Director / writers | David Yates; screenplay by J.K. Rowling and Steve Kloves[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fantastic_beasts_the_secrets_of_dumbledore) |
| Recasting | Mads Mikkelsen took over as Grindelwald from Johnny Depp, who was asked to resign after his legal difficulties[3](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/hollywood/fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore-first-reviews-praise-mads-mikkelsen-criticise-nonsensical-narrative-harry-potter-spinoff-7855671/) |
| Runtime / rating | 2 hours 22 minutes; rated PG-13 for some fantasy action/violence[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fantastic_beasts_the_secrets_of_dumbledore) |
| Box office | $95.8 million gross in the United States; the lowest opening and lowest grossing of the three films[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fantastic_beasts_the_secrets_of_dumbledore) • [4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-10-27/fantastic-beasts-franchise-on-pause-director-david-yates) |
| Critical scores | 46% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (246 reviews); 83% on the verified-audience Popcornmeter[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fantastic_beasts_the_secrets_of_dumbledore) |
| Franchise status | In October 2023 director David Yates described the franchise as on "a pause"[4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-10-27/fantastic-beasts-franchise-on-pause-director-david-yates) |
## Spoilers
### Premise and story
The film continues from the cliffhanger ending of *Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald*, in which Credence Barebone ([Ezra Miller](https://www.edgepedia.org/ezra-miller)) was told his true identity, and takes Newt and his allies back to Hogwarts as they try to unravel the mystery tying [Grindelwald](https://www.edgepedia.org/grindelwald) and Dumbledore together.[5](https://www.framestore.com/work/fantastic-beasts-secrets-dumbledore) Dumbledore, unable to stop Grindelwald alone, entrusts Newt to lead a team of wizards, witches, and one Muggle baker, Jacob Kowalski ([Dan Fogler](https://www.edgepedia.org/dan-fogler)), on a mission in which they encounter old and new beasts and clash with Grindelwald's followers.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fantastic_beasts_the_secrets_of_dumbledore) The story moves into 1930s Europe, including Weimar Berlin, a setting developed with concept artists Jack Dudman, Eva Kuntz, and Dermot Power alongside production designers Neil Lamont and Stuart Craig.[6](https://britishcinematographer.co.uk/george-richmond-bsc-fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore/)
A central device is that Grindelwald sees only fragments of the future, so Dumbledore's side uses "countersight": deliberately misleading actions that hide their real intentions until the last moment.[7](https://au.variety.com/2022/film/reviews/fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore-review-1198/) The film also delves into the past relationship between Dumbledore and Grindelwald, with Dumbledore explicitly acknowledging his previous love for Grindelwald within the first five minutes.[8](https://assets.glaad.org/m/3235608fa1547fcf/original/GLAAD-2023-Studio-Responsibility-Index.pdf) Reviewers noted that a line acknowledging this relationship was reportedly not visible to audiences watching the film in China.[9](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore-2022)
## Production and cast change
The ensemble cast is led by Oscar winner [Eddie Redmayne](https://www.edgepedia.org/eddie-redmayne) and two-time Oscar nominee [Jude Law](https://www.edgepedia.org/jude-law), with [Alison Sudol](https://www.edgepedia.org/alison-sudol), Dan Fogler, Callum Turner, Jessica Williams, and Ezra Miller among the returning cast.[10](https://www.fantasticbeasts.co.uk/) • [3](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/hollywood/fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore-first-reviews-praise-mads-mikkelsen-criticise-nonsensical-narrative-harry-potter-spinoff-7855671/) Mikkelsen replaced Johnny Depp as Grindelwald after Depp was asked to resign from the role; Depp had already shot three scenes for the film before his departure.[3](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/hollywood/fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore-first-reviews-praise-mads-mikkelsen-criticise-nonsensical-narrative-harry-potter-spinoff-7855671/) • [11](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/johnny-depp-isnt-hesitant-drop-four-letter-word-while-looking-back-losing-fantastic-beasts-role)
**Behind the camera.** The creative team included cinematographer George Richmond, production designers Stuart Craig and Neil Lamont, editor Mark Day, visual effects supervisor Christian Mänz, and four-time Oscar-winning costume designer [Colleen Atwood](https://www.edgepedia.org/colleen-atwood); visual effects work was done by Framestore.[2](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaM_wL1ZOM4) • [5](https://www.framestore.com/work/fantastic-beasts-secrets-dumbledore) It was the first film in the franchise with a screenplay not credited entirely to Rowling; [Steve Kloves](https://www.edgepedia.org/steve-kloves), a longtime *Harry Potter* screenwriter, shared the credit.[12](https://www.yourdailyglobe.com/home/cms_data/dfault/photos/stories/id/3/5/16635/7009491.pdf) Warner Bros. released the film in 4,208 North American locations, and the production carried a $200 million price tag.[13](https://www.yourdailyglobe.com/home/cms_data/dfault/photos/stories/id/3/9/16639/782893.pdf)
## Reception
Initial reviews called the film an improvement over *The Crimes of Grindelwald* while questioning the series' direction. On Rotten Tomatoes it scored 46% among critics against 36% for the second film and 74% for the first, with the site's consensus noting that it avoids some pitfalls of its predecessor but lacks much of the magic that drew audiences into the wizarding world.[3](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/hollywood/fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore-first-reviews-praise-mads-mikkelsen-criticise-nonsensical-narrative-harry-potter-spinoff-7855671/) • [1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fantastic_beasts_the_secrets_of_dumbledore) Verified audiences were markedly warmer, rating it 83% on the Popcornmeter.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fantastic_beasts_the_secrets_of_dumbledore)
Critics singled out Mikkelsen's Grindelwald for praise: Kevin Maher of *The Times* wrote that his "simmering intensity adds a new layer of menace to the character," while Polygon's Charles Bramesco called the film "a calamitous case of mission drift."[3](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/hollywood/fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore-first-reviews-praise-mads-mikkelsen-criticise-nonsensical-narrative-harry-potter-spinoff-7855671/) Common criticisms were an overstuffed plot; the *Chicago Sun-Times* and other reviewers noted the film's reliance on nostalgia, such as a [Quidditch](https://www.edgepedia.org/quidditch) scene set to [John Williams](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-williams)' *Harry Potter* theme.[9](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore-2022) Digital Trends judged it a more satisfying story than its predecessor but said it kept introducing new lore at a pace that distracted from the core characters.[14](https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore-review/) GLAAD's 2023 Studio Responsibility Index recorded the early on-screen acknowledgment of Dumbledore's love for Grindelwald as a milestone for the franchise, while noting the story frames Dumbledore as a hero and Grindelwald as set on destroying the Muggle world.[8](https://assets.glaad.org/m/3235608fa1547fcf/original/GLAAD-2023-Studio-Responsibility-Index.pdf)
## Box office and franchise status
The film opened in April 2022 to the franchise's lowest box-office opening and went on to become the lowest grossing of the three *Fantastic Beasts* films, with a United States gross of $95.8 million against a $200 million production budget.[4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-10-27/fantastic-beasts-franchise-on-pause-director-david-yates) • [1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fantastic_beasts_the_secrets_of_dumbledore) • [13](https://www.yourdailyglobe.com/home/cms_data/dfault/photos/stories/id/3/9/16639/782893.pdf) In November 2022, Variety reported that Warner Bros. had been in a wait-and-see mode before the film's release and that no script for a fourth or fifth film was in the works, despite Rowling's original plan for five installments.[4](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-10-27/fantastic-beasts-franchise-on-pause-director-david-yates) • [15](https://time.com/4530643/fantastic-beasts-franchise/) In October 2023, Yates described the franchise as on "a pause."
The film remains available on streaming services including [HBO Max](https://www.edgepedia.org/hbo-max) and Peacock in the United States.[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fantastic_beasts_the_secrets_of_dumbledore)
## References
1. [Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/fantastic_beasts_the_secrets_of_dumbledore)
2. [Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore – Official Trailer 2, YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaM_wL1ZOM4)
3. [Fantastic Beasts The Secrets of Dumbledore first reviews, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/hollywood/fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore-first-reviews-praise-mads-mikkelsen-criticise-nonsensical-narrative-harry-potter-spinoff-7855671/)
4. ['Fantastic Beasts' director says franchise is on 'a pause', Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-10-27/fantastic-beasts-franchise-on-pause-director-david-yates)
5. [Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Framestore](https://www.framestore.com/work/fantastic-beasts-secrets-dumbledore)
6. [George Richmond BSC / Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, British Cinematographer](https://britishcinematographer.co.uk/george-richmond-bsc-fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore/)
7. ['Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore' Review, Variety](https://au.variety.com/2022/film/reviews/fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore-review-1198/)
8. [GLAAD 2023 Studio Responsibility Index](https://assets.glaad.org/m/3235608fa1547fcf/original/GLAAD-2023-Studio-Responsibility-Index.pdf)
9. [Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore movie review, RogerEbert.com](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore-2022)
10. [Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Official Movie Site](https://www.fantasticbeasts.co.uk/)
11. [Johnny Depp on losing the Fantastic Beasts role, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/johnny-depp-isnt-hesitant-drop-four-letter-word-while-looking-back-losing-fantastic-beasts-role)
12. [Review: Potter prequels peter out in 'Dumbledore', The Daily Globe](https://www.yourdailyglobe.com/home/cms_data/dfault/photos/stories/id/3/5/16635/7009491.pdf)
13. [The Daily Globe, April 2022 edition](https://www.yourdailyglobe.com/home/cms_data/dfault/photos/stories/id/3/9/16639/782893.pdf)
14. [Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore review, Digital Trends](https://www.digitaltrends.com/movies/fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore-review/)
15. [J.K. Rowling Says There Will Be 5 Fantastic Beasts Movies, TIME](https://time.com/4530643/fantastic-beasts-franchise/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Films by genre, form, and subject › Adaptations of literature, stage, and other media › Contemporary literary and YA film franchises*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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