Fantastic Beasts – In 1926, Newt Scamander, a quirky and introverted magizoologist, arrives in New York City with a magical suitcase filled with extraordinary creatures. Newt is on a mission to release one of his creatures, a giant thunderbird, in its natural habitat in Arizona. However, as soon as he steps off the boat, trouble begins.
Newt bumps into Jacob Kowalski, a No-Maj (non-magical person), at a bank. In the confusion, Jacob accidentally swaps his suitcase with Newt’s, unaware of the magical creatures inside. As Jacob returns home, Newt realizes the switch and tracks him down, but by then, several creatures have escaped into the city. These include a mischievous Niffler, which loves to steal shiny objects, and a massive Erumpent, a magical rhino-like beast.
Meanwhile, Tina Goldstein, a former Auror for the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA), witnesses Newt’s strange behavior and arrests him, taking him to MACUSA headquarters. But the suitcase filled with magical creatures alarms the officials. They view Newt’s creatures as dangerous, fearing that their exposure could reveal the magical world to ordinary humans.
At the same time, dark forces are at play in New York. The city is plagued by mysterious destructive events, and a dark, parasitic force called an Obscurus is responsible. The wizarding world fears the exposure of magic, and Percival Graves, a high-ranking MACUSA official, is investigating the Obscurus. Secretly, Graves has his own agenda and is searching for a powerful Obscurial—a magical child who unknowingly harbors the dark force.
Newt, Tina, Jacob, and Tina’s sister Queenie team up to recover the missing creatures before they cause havoc in the city. Along the way, Jacob is enchanted by the magical world, while he and Queenie begin to develop a romantic connection. Meanwhile, Newt learns that the Obscurial is a troubled young boy named Credence Barebone, who is being manipulated by Graves. Credence’s magical power is unstable and poses a threat to both wizards and No-Majs alike.
As Newt captures his escaped creatures and grows closer to his new companions, the threat of Credence’s Obscurus escalates. Graves attempts to use Credence’s power for his own dark purposes, hoping to challenge the magical authorities and bring about change. In the film’s climax, Newt and Tina confront Credence in an effort to save him, but his power spirals out of control.
Graves is revealed to be none other than Gellert Grindelwald, a dark wizard who seeks to wage war against the non-magical world. He is captured, but the damage caused by the Obscurus leaves the magical world shaken. MACUSA erases the memories of the No-Majs who witnessed the destruction, including Jacob, much to Queenie’s sorrow.
In the end, Newt prepares to leave New York, but not before bidding farewell to his newfound friends. He leaves a gift for Jacob—eggshells from one of his magical creatures—which restores Jacob’s memories, allowing him to open a bakery inspired by the magical creatures he encountered.
Newt departs on his journey, knowing that the magical world’s troubles are far from over, but happy that he has made new connections and brought a bit of magic into the lives of those he met.
