The spin-off prequel series of movies for the Harry Potter franchise, Fantastic Beasts has made its way to the wizarding world and serves as a canonical story which took place before Harry Potter was even born. Set 70 years before Harry Potter would have first set foot in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Fantastic Beasts movie series tells the tale of the adventures of Newton Artemis Fido Scamander — also known as Newt — as he goes around the world of the non-magic users collecting unusual but fantastic beasts.
From beginning to end, here is the best way to watch the Fantastic Beasts movie series.
The Fantastic Beasts movies in chronological order
1. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
The year is 1926, with his magically expanded briefcase — which contains several deadly beasts and their habitats — Newt Scamander arrives in New York City. When some of his beasts escape from his briefcase, Newt fights to stop the surge of violence, fear, and tension caused by the creatures he carried.
2. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
A few months have passed since the events in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them took place. Gellert Grindelwald — after breaking free from jail — has started enlisting supporters for his mission, which is to make wizards the ruling class above all of the Wizarding World. To stop Grindelwald, Dumbledore must turn to his former pupil Newt for assistance. Johnny Depp as the narcissistic villain Grindelwald is a highlight in this complicated, plot-driven follow-up.
3. Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)
Years after the events of The Crimes of Grindelwald, Newt Scamander and his friends return for an adventurous but dangerous quest to find a way to defeat the villainous Gellert Grindelwald. While Albus Dumbledore could have easily overpowered the wizard, a blood pact made decades ago made it impossible for him to fight Grindelwald.
Though it is unfortunate that there are still no plans being made for the fourth installment of the Fantastic Beasts franchise, its impact to fans of the Harry Potter world is still significant. We can only hope that soon we may get to see more Fantastic Beasts tales.