Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

When whispers of Gellert Grindelwald's bid to dominate the wizarding world reach Professor Albus Dumbledore, he can't confront the threat directly. Instead he turns to magizoologist Newt Scamander and asks him to assemble a small, unlikely team of witches and wizards to carry out a delicate mission. As they move across globe-spanning locations, new alliances form and old loyalties are tested. Along the way they encounter a mix of familiar and newly revealed magical creatures, and their efforts collide with Grindelwald's growing army of supporters. The story keeps its major revelations hidden, focusing on escalating political stakes, complicated personal ties and the group's attempts to outmaneuver a charismatic adversary. There are moments of humor. The pace shifts between scenes and set pieces, and quiet moments.

Directed by David Yates and scripted by J.K. Rowling and Steve Kloves, the 2022 film is the third installment of the Fantastic Beasts series, starring Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Mads Mikkelsen, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler and many supporting cast members.

It opened in cinemas worldwide in 2022 and collected a global box office return, however its commercial performance was lower than earlier entries in the franchise, prompting discussion about audience fatigue and the series' future prospects in several key markets.

The film generated noticeable fan discussion, partly because Mads Mikkelsen stepped into a high profile role, and because viewers debated the franchise's tonal shifts and narrative direction. Its creatures, period production design and standout set pieces kept the Wizarding World visually present while fans argued about the series' future arc.

Critical reaction was mixed, reflected in a vote average of 6.634 out of 10 from 4,931 votes, with reviewers praising production design, visual effects and beasts, while criticizing the film's pacing and narrative complexity. The movie concentrates on themes of power, loyalty, identity, political maneuvering and the cost of allegiance.