J.K. Rowling - Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay

The digital heart
of the Wizarding World www.pottermore.com To the memory of Gordon Murray, real-life creature healer and hero SCENE 1EXT. SOMEWHERE IN EUROPE1926NIGHTA large, isolated, derelict chateau emerges from the darkness. We focus on a cobbled square outside the building, shrouded in mist, eerie, silent.Five Aurors stand, wands aloft, tentative as they edge toward the chateau. A sudden explosion of pure white light sends them flying.We whip around to find their bodies scattered, lying motionless at the entrance to a large parkland. A figure (Grindelwald) enters the frame, his back to the camera; ignoring the bodies, he stares out into the night sky as we pan up toward the moon. MONTAGE: We see various magical newspaper headlines from 1926 relating to Grindelwalds attacks all over the world: GRINDELWALD STRIKES AGAIN IN EUROPE, HOGWARTS SCHOOL INCREASES SECURITY, ANTI-WIZARD FEELING ON THE RISE, WHERE IS GRINDELWALD?, IS ANYONE SAFE? Hes a serious threat to the magical community and hes vanished. Moving photos detail destroyed buildings, fires, screaming victims.

The articles come thick and fastthe worldwide hunt for Grindelwald continues. We push in on a final article displaying the Statue of Liberty. TRANSITION TO:

SCENE 2EXT. SHIP GLIDING INTO NEW YORKNEXT MORNINGA bright, clear New York day. Seagulls swoop overhead.A large passenger ship glides past the Statue of Liberty. Passengers lean over the rails, looking excitedly toward the oncoming land.We push in toward a figure sitting on a bench with his back to usNewt Scamander, weather-beaten, wiry, wearing an old blue overcoat. Beside him rests a battered brown leather case.

A catch on the case flicks open of its own accord. Newt swiftly bends down to close it.Placing the case on his lap, Newt leans in, whispering: NEWT Dougalyou settle down now, please. It wont be long.

SCENE 3EXT. NEW YORKDAYAERIAL SHOT of New York.SCENE 4EXT. SHIP/INT.

CUSTOMSSHORTLY AFTERWARDDAYAmong bustling crowds, Newt walks down the gangplank of the ship as we push in toward his case. CUSTOMS OFFICIAL (O.S.) Next. Newt stands at customsa long row of desks by the shipyard, manned by serious-looking American officials. A customs official examines Newts very tattered British passport. CUSTOMS OFFICIAL British, huh? NEWT Yes. CUSTOMS OFFICIAL First trip to New York? NEWT Yes. CUSTOMS OFFICIAL (gesturing to Newts case) Anything edible in there? NEWT (placing a hand over his breast pocket) No. CUSTOMS OFFICIAL Livestock? The catch on Newts case flicks open again.

Newt looks down and hastily closes it. NEWT Must get that fixedahh, no. CUSTOMS OFFICIAL (suspicious) Let me take a look. Newt places the case on the desk between them and discreetly flicks a brass dial to MUGGLEWORTHY .The customs official spins the case toward him and pops the catches, lifting the lid to reveal:Pajamas, various maps, a journal, an alarm clock, a magnifying glass, and a Hufflepuff scarf. Finally satisfied, he closes the case. CUSTOMS OFFICIAL Welcome to New York. NEWT Thank you. Newt gathers his passport and case. CUSTOMS OFFICIAL Next! Newt exits through customs.

SCENE 5EXT.

STREET NEAR CITY HALL SUBWAYDUSKA long street of identical brownstone houses, one of which has been reduced to rubble. A gaggle of reporters and photographers mills around in the vague hope of something happening, but without much enthusiasm. One reporter is interviewing an excitable middle-aged man as they move through the rubble. WITNESS and it was like alike a wind or like alike a ghostbut darkand I saw its eyesshinin white eyes REPORTER (expressionlessnotebook in his hand) a dark windwith eyes... WITNESS like a dark mass, and it dove down there, down undergroundI swear to God... into the earth right in front of me. CLOSE ON PERCIVAL GRAVES as he walks toward the destroyed building.Graves: Smart clothing, very handsome, early middle-age, his demeanor differs from those around him.

He is watchful, tightly coiled, an air of intense confidence. PHOTOGRAPHER (sotto voce) Heydid you get anything? REPORTER (sotto voce) Dark wind, blah blah. PHOTOGRAPHER Its some atmospheric hooey. Or electrical. Graves moves up the steps of the now ruined building. He examines the destruction, curious, alert. REPORTER Heyyou thirsty? PHOTOGRAPHER Nah, Im on the wagon. Wind begins to pick up, swirling around the building, accompanied by a high-pitched screeching. Wind begins to pick up, swirling around the building, accompanied by a high-pitched screeching.

Graves alone looks interested.A sudden series of bangs at street level. All turn to look for the source of the sound: A wall cracks, the rubble on the floor begins to shake before exploding like an earthquake, ripping out of the building and down through the middle of the street. The movement is violent, rushedpeople and cars go flying.The mysterious force then flies up into the air, swirling through the city, diving in and out of alleyways, before crashing down into a subway station.CLOSE ON GRAVES as he examines the destruction of the street.A mingled roar and howl emanates from the bowels of the earth.