J.K. Rowling dropped a curious piece of information on Twitter Wednesday, that being Newt Scamander's Patronus will be a 'big spoiler' for the upcoming
Fantastic Beasts movies. This came about when the
Harry Potter author confessed she was still rewriting and editing the screenplay for the second movie, set to begin production this summer.
could you please please please tell me which animal is newt's patronus? Or is that a spoiler of the next movies?
A Patronus, to all who have read the
Harry Potter books, is primarily an emotionally-driven shield against Dementors, but plays other roles as well. Considered to be a reflection of an animal somehow personally attached to the witch or wizard, a Patronus is a mode of communication (see
Deathly Hallows) or message of warning. Patronuses can also shift forms after the witch or wizard goes through a major emotional upheaval (see
Half-Blood Prince).
That's Patronusus 101, but the bigger questions here are: why would Newt need to conjure a Patronus any time during the film series? Will moviegoers see the return of the soul-sucking Dementors, or is Newt an able-enough wizard that he can talk through his?
However, why would Rowling not share what Newt's actual animal his Patronus turns? For a self-proclaimed magizoologist, Newt loves all creatures (though of course has a special fondness toward bowtruckles and nifflers), so which animal would it be? It could very well be a creature that Newt identifies with - or, like Severus Snape and Nymphadora Tonks decades after him, the Patronus is a bright, white corporeal representation of the person they loved the most.
Perhaps the Patronus reflects something deep in him, or mirrors someone he loves (something related to Tina Goldsein? Or even Leta Lestrange?) But can Patronuses ward off more than Dementors?
Can a Patronus protect people from an Obscurus as well? Suppose time, and future movies, will tell.
The
Fantastic Beasts sequel begins shooting this August in the U.K. and Paris, directed by David Yates, and stars Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Ezra Miller, Zoe Kravitz, Callum Turner, Johnny Depp, and
Jude Law.
Order J.K. Rowling's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, out March 28th, in the following formats now:
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Amazon Exclusive) (Niffler Figurine/Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD UltraViolet Combo Pack)
• Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Blu-ray + DVD + Digital HD UltraViolet Combo Pack)