Directed by David Yates, who also helmed the final four Harry Potter films, Fantastic Beasts is a fantasy adventure written by J.K. Rowling. Released in French cinemas on November 16, 2016, this first installment takes viewers into a new chapter of the wizarding world — set in New York in 1926, nearly 70 years before Harry Potter's birth. Led by Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, and Dan Fogler, the film will be broadcast free-to-air on TF1 on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 9:10 p.m.
Newt Scamander, a reserved and methodical British magizoologist, steps into New York with what looks like an ordinary suitcase. Inside, he carries a menagerie of magical creatures he’s been studying around the world. His plans take an unexpected turn when an incident causes several fantastical creatures to escape into the city streets, risking the secrecy that shields the wizarding community.
Amidst rising tensions sparked by an anti-witchcraft movement and the looming threat of a dark force, Newt Scamander crosses paths with Tina Goldstein, a former Auror seeking redemption, her sister Queenie, who possesses a powerful legilimency gift, and Jacob Kowalski, a no-mag who unwittingly gets caught up in the chaos. Together, they race against time to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control for the MACUSA, the American Wizarding Congress.
Inspired by the fictional textbook featured in the Harry Potter novels, Fantastic Beasts marks a significant milestone in J.K. Rowling’s career, as she takes on the responsibilities of screenwriting for the first time. The author explores an uncharted part of her universe, introducing new rules, a fresh vocabulary — with Muggles now called Non-Maj’ — and a new American school of magic, Ilvermorny. Filming primarily took place at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, UK, where detailed sets recreated 1920s New York City.
David Yates employs a visual style familiar to fans of the original saga, while tailoring his direction to a different historical and geographical setting. The film heavily relies on visual effects and the work of the artistic teams to bring the creatures to life, blending digital animation with practical puppets on set to make the performances more natural. This approach was particularly praised during awards season, culminating in the film winning the Oscar for Best Costume Design in 2017.
With its more subdued tone and methodical pacing, Fantastic Beasts appeals just as much to longtime fans of J.K. Rowling’s universe as it does to newcomers experiencing this magical world for the first time. The film leans toward expanding the narrative universe rather than serving as a direct prequel, focusing on exploring fresh territory and introducing new characters, while subtly weaving in echoes of the Harry Potter saga, whose legacy remains a quiet presence in the background.
Fantastic Beasts | Movie | 2016
In theaters: November 16, 2016
TV Broadcast: TF1 on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, at 9:10 PM
Fantasy, adventure | Duration: 2h13
Directed by David Yates | Starring Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler
Original title: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Countries: United States, United Kingdom
With this debut film, the Fantastic Beasts franchise lays the groundwork for an expanded universe, blending creatures, political intrigue, and historical figures from the wizarding world. Its broadcast on TF1 offers a chance to revisit this introduction to a parallel realm within J.K. Rowling’s universe—part fantastical adventure, part saga of a magical world in flux.
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