Which magical creatures is Eddie Redmayne’s Newt Scramander going to encounter in “Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them”? That has been the question on everyone’s minds.
There’s been a glimpse of some of the “fantastic beasts” in the movie trailer, but thanks to Warner Bros., we now have a better insight on what sort of new creatures that will be making an appearance in the upcoming “Harry Potter” spin-off.
1. The Niffler
“Oh look! It’s something shiny!” That may have been going through the mind of this gentle creature. Said to be a cross between a mole and a duck-billed platypus, the Niffler (which happens to be one of Newt Scamander’s favourite creatures) is attracted to things that glitter. And guess what? It stores its treasures inside its enchanted belly!
Visual effects supervisor Christian Manz told Entertainment Weekly that the Niffler was actually inspired by a honey badger. “We saw some great footage of a honey badger raiding somebody’s house with a completely insatiable desire to find food and nothing would get in its way,” Manz recalled.
If you remember, Ron Weasley relied on one to find Leprechaun gold during Hagrid’s Care Of Magical Creatures class while Lee Jordan released a pair of Nifflers in Dolores Umbridge’s office.
2. Bowtruckle
It looks like a plant and it’s difficult to spot in the Muggle world. Bowtruckle is a small twig-like creature that spends its days protecting trees that magic wands are made of. Besides feeding on insects alone, these extremely shy creatures are not only loyal, the Bowtruckle can be very handy when it comes to picking locks.
Newt Scamander will have 4 of them in the movie, however, 1 will receive special treatment from the wizard. “Pickett has attachment issues, so Newt knows he shouldn’t have favorites, but like he loves Pickett to sit in his top pocket. I felt for him quite badly,” revealed Redmayne.
3. Thunderbird
“The Thunderbird is a large, regal avian creature native to the arid climate of Arizona. Its head is similar to that of an eagle or, in the wizarding world, a Hippogriff. Its multiple powerful wings shimmer with cloud-and sun-like patterns and their flapping can create storms. Thunderbirds can also sense danger.”
Students who have been sorted into the America’s Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry will recognise Thunderbird, which is held in high regard, as one of its sigils. After rescuing one of the birds in Egypt (which Newt named him Frank) from traffickers, the wizard promised to return the beast to its natural habitat in Arizona.
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4. Swooping Evil
“Looks like a cross between a reptile and an extremely large butterfly, when at rest, the Swooping Evil lives in a green spiny cocoon. But when it spreads its colourful, spiked wings, it is strangely beautiful. It can be dangerous, as it is capable of sucking out brains, but, conversely, if properly diluted, its venom can be quite useful to erase bad memories.”
The creature may look stunning, but you certainly don’t want to mess with the Swooping Evil. Its name itself should be enough to encourage caution, and if that’s not enough to convince you, take a look at Newt’s terrified expression from the image above.
5. Demiguise
This bizarre looking fellow is described as “a primate-like creature that resembles a silver-haired orang utan with large, doleful black eyes. It has the remarkable ability to become invisible at will, and has precognitive sight, so the only way to catch it is to do something completely unpredictable. The Demiguise is fundamentally a peaceful beast, but it will give a rather nasty nip when provoked or feels threatened.”
Since the creature’s silky, silvery hair can be used to make Invisibility Cloaks, its pelt is highly sought after, therefore making the Demiguise an endangered species in the Potterverse.
6. Occamy
Last but not least, we have the Occamy – “a plumed, 2-legged, winged creature with a serpentine body, making it look like a cross between a dragon and a bird. It is hatched from eggs, the shells of which are made of the purest silver and worth a fortune. The Occamy is native to the Far East and India, and the size of its habitat matters a great deal, as the Occamy is choranaptyxic — meaning it will grow or shrink to fit available space.”
Are all you Potterheads pumped up yet? We can’t wait to see how each of these unique creatures will affect the magical world but the possibilities seem limitless for “Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them”.
“Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them” will premiere on 17th November 2016.
Sources: Entertainment Weekly, Breaking News, Screen Rant.
