Forget Fantastic Beasts 4 – Newt Scamander Can Return In Harry Potter’s Reboot Thanks To 20-Year-Old Easter Egg

Given the abysmal non-likelihood of Fantastic Beasts 4, Newt Scamander’s return could happen in the Harry Potter reboot thanks to a 20-year-old Easter egg. Eddie Redmayne’s Newt first appeared in 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. This primary installment saw great success, bringing in four and a half times its budget at the box office. Following this, two films were released, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. Both saw less commercial success than the original, likely because of the narrative shift away from Newt’s adventures to find and save magical creatures.

The Fantastic Beasts five-movie plan was a surprise to even David Yates, the franchise’s director. This and the box-office numbers trending downward suggest the story may be left as is. By the end of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, most characters’ storylines are tied up — most notably the confirmation that Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller) is a Dumbledore and that Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) and Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen) had a romantic relationship. Luckily, there’s one particular Harry Potter Easter egg that can get around the big-screen end of Newt’s story.

Newt Scamander Returning In Fantastic Beasts 4 Looks Very Unlikely Now

Newt’s story has less focus as the Fantastic Beasts franchise continues.

As the names suggest, the latter two Fantastic Beasts installments, The Crimes of Grindelwald and The Secrets of Dumbledore, heavily shift focus away from Newt to dive into Dumbledore and Grindelwald’s pasts and relationship. Additionally, it’s unlikely that Newt will return in a possible Fantastic Beasts 4. However, Fantastic Beasts 4 is even less likely to happen due to David Yates’s busy schedule with Netflix’s Pain Hustlers. Now, due to Warner Bros.’s silence on the matter and focus being on the multi-season plan for a Harry Potter remake, the Fantastic Beasts franchise likely won’t continue.

Cast members have also shared no knowledge of Fantastic Beasts 4 happening. Eddie Redmayne said, in a December 2022 IndieWire interview when asked about Newt’s and Fantastic Beasts‘ futures, “It’s more a question for J. K. Rowling and David Yates and Warners, but I don’t know, I’m afraid.” While the character’s future isn’t shown on-screen, whether Newt and Tina (Katherine Waterston) end up together after Fantastic Beasts is answered by Wizarding World lore. The couple do get married and have children. This makes his return in Fantastic Beasts 4 even less likely since it shows no direct link to the anticipated Dumbledore and Grindelwald duel.

The Harry Potter Movies Revealed Newt Was At Hogwarts During Prisoner Of Azkaban

Although not in the book, a Newt Easter egg places him at Hogwarts during the Prisoner of Azkaban movie

Even though Newt’s story concludes without major loose ends, he makes somewhat of a cameo in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Being a retrospectively written prequel to the Harry Potter franchise, Fantastic Beasts‘ Newt couldn’t have been physically present in the Harry Potter movies since his character wasn’t fully realized yet. However, in the scene when Fred and George give Harry the Marauder’s Map, Newt’s name is visible and shown as moving. This means Newt was at Hogwarts for some reason during Harry’s third year, even though this isn’t in the book.

This Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Easter egg suggests another bridge between the Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter franchises. With Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts and his duel with Grindelwald mentioned in the Harry Potter franchise, Newt’s presence at Hogwarts opens up opportunities for more Magizoology during Harry’s time at the school. Moreover, it suggests some of Newt’s adventures in his later years, since by the time he appears on the map in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban he should be in his 90s.

Why The Harry Potter Remake Should Eventually Include Newt Scamander

Max’s Harry Potter remake could explain Newt’s presence at Hogwarts.

Since Fantastic Beasts is radio-silent in terms of future films, presumably not returning, Max’s Harry Potter show is the prime opportunity to include Newt again. Newt’s return could also redeem the box-office decline of the Fantastic Beasts franchise as the focus shifts further from him with each film. Clearly, his likability and whimsy add a fresh approach to the Wizarding World on screen. Not to mention, his work on the fictional Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them book is an established element of Hogwarts’ syllabus, so he could be on the grounds to assist with the magical creatures’ care.

Given Newt’s age at the time Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban‘s events take place, any cameo would probably not see Redmayne reprising the role. But because Newt is much more fleshed out now as opposed to when the original Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban movie was released, the show could easily elaborate on what he was doing at Hogwarts during that time. While Fantastic Beasts 4 is unlikely and Newt’s future in it is non-existent, Max’s Harry Potter remake could offer fans more short moments of the character, given the extra runtime they’ll have to do so.

Source: IndieWire