Is “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay” really the Original Screenplay? Or is the widely available version actually “The Original Screenplay 2.0”?
Every film has a screenplay or script. In Great Britain the norm is double-hole-punched A4 paper which is slightly taller and narrower than the North American letter size of 8.5×11. To make flipping through the pages easier a British script may be bound by a single brad at the top left-hand side of the page. A light card stock cover and back page are added to strengthen the script as the screenplay is often handled by several people.
In addition, there are several different kinds of scripts: ‘reading copies’ that are distributed to producers and agents and are usually printed on both sides of the page and sometimes professionally bound; ‘director copies’ that are reduced in size to make a small, easily to carry book used by the director or production crew during shooting; ‘producer copies’ for producers to use when hiring actors; plus copies given to actors, crew and anyone else who requires one. These various scripts may vary in size and completeness according to whom they are give and the director is often able to make any changes they see necessary based on the terms of the contract with the original screenwriter.
The first screenplay for “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” (I use the word ‘first’ instead of ‘original’ to differentiate between the script and published book) was written by J.K. Rowling with “the patience and wisdom of Steve Kloves and David Yates”. 1 With the Harry Potter screenplays, where Yates and Rowling “never quite worked together” the interactions were limited “to saying hello at premieres or when she visited the set.” 2 With “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”, however, Yates worked closely with JKR. She would write a draft and then sit down with Yates and Kloves, read it over, act out the parts, discuss what they liked and what they didn’t. JKR would then go away and after a few nights writing return with a script that worked. Once the screenplay was finished production could begin as the cast and crew were gathered.
Having learned all that, we can now return to the original question – Is “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay” really the Original Screenplay?
If the film had not been released in DVD/Blu-ray (or on You-Tube), with deleted scenes, this question would probably never have been asked. However, as those deleted scenes did not appear in the published version of “The Original Screenplay” how could it be “The Original Screenplay” without those scenes. They must have been in an earlier script written by JKR in order to have been filmed. Some of the scenes are very short, others lengthier and those on the DVD include:
- Major Investigation Department.
- Jacob Tenement.
- Newt’s Case.
- MACUSA Cell.
- Creocreatures
- Tracking Demiguise.
- Suitcase Celebration
- Skyscraper Roof.
- Obscurus Unleashed – Part 1.
- Obscurus Unleashed – Part 2.
- Newt Goodbye.
Other deleted scenes have also come to light and discussed in interviews with people involved in the making of the film. These deleted scenes are not available for casual viewing and, so far, have only been mentioned in interviews. These include:
- The Revelation of Newt’s Scars 3
- Diner scene with Graves and Credence 4
- Newt and Tina See Their Future(s) 6
- Credence Survives 6
- Theseus’ Letter 10
There may be more that have not yet surfaced. As director David Heyman said: “When I read the first draft initially, it was with a little bit of trepidation because she’s a great novelist, but it doesn’t necessarily translate into being a great screenwriter. The very first draft had something. The characters were vivid. The storytelling was wonderful. There were scenes that just leapt from the page that you couldn’t wait to film. But it was quite whimsical. So then working with her on the second draft, pushing in a slightly darker direction, the script came back, and it was really dark. But some of those elements – that whimsy – still remain in the script today, and some elements of that darkness remain in the script today in the film that you see.” 7
Though the earlier screenplay was not published for the general reading public it was published for use by others, including the cast and crew and therefore there must still be copies of it available. As those deleted scenes were indeed written by JKR and she intended them to be in the finished film (and therefore the book) it stands to reason that the deleted scenes, in as far as characters and dialogue are concerned, should therefore be considered canon. Why Kloves and Yates decided to edit the scenes out of the film is open to speculation but was probably due to what they considered relevance to the over all story or time constraints with the length of the film.
Unlike the Harry Potter screenplays that were written by Steve Kloves, and ‘based on’ the books by Jo Rowling, the first two screenplays in the Fantastic Beasts series are written by JKR. The deleted scenes in the Harry Potter films would therefore not be considered canon.
When the DVD/Blu-Ray for “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ is released the deleted scenes included should also be considered canon. According to Leaky Cauldron the CG 4K UHD Combo Pack and the Blu-ray Combo pack will include an extended cut of the film with more than seven minutes of deleted scenes added, available as a digital download.
Though the published book is not the entire original script that Rowling wrote and what the cast and crew used for filming, it is one that aligns with the final cut of the theatrical and video releases of the movie. This means that there are no deleted scenes featured in this script, just everything that was already on screen. For anyone who wants a complete script of the movie, just order J.K. Rowling’s screenplay “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay” and add an addendum using the text below copied directly from the captions on the tv screen and formatted in the same manner as the screenplay.
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MAJOR INVESTIGATIONS DEPARTMENT
INSERT ON PAGE 43 – (AFTER – Graves looks after them, the only one to appear sympathetic.)
Newt and Tina enter the elevator. Graves approaches.
GRAVES
A minor incident I take it.
TINA
(nods)
GRAVES
Alright. Take his wand from him, Tina. I’ll be downstairs shortly.
(pause)
And – and – don’t take it to heart. The President’s under a lot of stress.
(pause)
Tina …
(indicates there is something on her mouth)
Come here.
(wipes her lip with his handkerchief)
Mustard.
(Graves departs)
(Tina feels uncomfortable – elevator closes.)
And BEFORE – SCENE 23
INT. BASEMENT – DAY
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JACOB TENEMENT
INSERT ON PAGE 50 (AFTER – He continually throws nervous glances over his shoulder.)
MILDRED
(Runs up to Jacob.)
So, what happened? Did you get the money?
JACOB
No. No, I didn’t. Turns out the bank needs protecting from people like me,
which maybe they do, ‘cause I think I’m losing my mind.
MILDRED
You didn’t get the money?
JACOB
I seriously don’t know what’s happening to me, Mildred, impossible things
MILDRED
You didn’t get any money at all?
JACOB
Maybe, I’m workin’ too hard, overtime at the factory.
Yeah, this getting’ up early and baking and goin’ over the business plans.
MILDRED
You didn’t get any money, whatsoever?
JACOB
No. No, Mildred, not a nickel.
Mildred removes her engagement ring.
MILDRED
Well, I guess I’d better give you this back and …
JACOB
No. What?
MILDRED
I thought you was getting’ a bakery.
JACOB
Mildred, honey. Please, come on.
You don’t mean it.
MILDRED
(sobs)
I’m bored of being poor, Jacob.
JACOB
Mildred.
And BEFORE – SCENE 26
When asked in an interview why he deleted this scene David Yates explained that though it was “the most beautiful scene, tender and very funny,” he felt the audience “didn’t need a reason to fall in love with Jacob” thanks to Kowalski’s performance. Mildred is not mentioned in the film and she only appears in the deleted scenes and is mentioned in the books about the films. 4
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THE REVELATION OF NEWT’S SCARS (mentioned but not shown) 3
In an interview, Actor Eddie Redmayne, who plays Newt Scamander, told Kjersti Flaa, a New York reporter: “Basically, there was a moment in the film where JK Rowling … said (Newt) was a slight, awkward man, and there was a moment when he goes down in his case to his world where all of his things are and he was meant to rip off his shirt and show all these, like, scars and see that he was actually … really quite built. So, they had me go to the gym for months and months on end … and we got to the scene … (Eddie makes various poses to flex his muscles) and I think the acting was so bad it got cut.” Katherine Waterston, who plays Tina, and was being interviewed at the same time decided that: “It was so overwhelming that he didn’t want Chris Hemsworth (Thor) to feel bad about himself … that’s why I think it was cut … it was sad because he had done all that work.”
Based on Eddie’s description of the scene it was most likely intended for Scene 45, page 94 in the book.
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NEWT’S CASE
INSERT ON PAGE 104 – (AFTER – rest on a little perch, suspended from midair.)
NEWT
(to creatures)
Now don’t take that tone with me.
You know exactly why you wear it.
Stop biting the others and it will come off.
JACOB
I mean, ah, I’m not a big fan of snakes but this is fascinating.
Newt heads up a small ramp of stairs.
NEWT
(To Jacob)
Come on.
And BEFORE – They enter a bamboo wood, ducking and diving through the trees. Newt calls out:
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DINER SCENE WITH GRAVES AND CREDENCE (mentioned but not shown)
The first mention of this scene came in the Scholastic book, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Character Guide”. “While having a secret meeting at a diner with Credence, Graves turns an ordinary, wilted carnation into a Periculid, a beautiful but deadly magical flower.” 4 The scene was further expanded on by an extra who was in the background of the scene and gave a fascinating behind the scenes look at film making for Pottermore. She wrote: “Wait outside the corner of ‘The Diner’…Try not to blush when Ezra Miller and Colin Farrell walk into the room. Alternate between discreet background acting, waiting, whispering without actually making sound, watching David Yates direct the actors, listening to the camera guys talk …” 4a
I suspect this scene would have been placed at the beginning of Scene 48 where JKR wrote; “Credence walks home towards the church. He looks happier than before; his meeting with Graves comforted him.” When he enters the church and Mary Lou confronts him and asks where he has been, he hesitates before telling her he was looking for a place for the next day’s meeting. Obviously, he did not want to tell her he had been with Graves. This is further confirmed when he tells her he did not realize it was so late. Apparently, time got away from him in the presence of Graves.
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MACUSA CELL
INSERT ON PAGE 155 – (AFTER – SCENE 64 INT. MACUSA CELL/CORRIDOR – DAY
Two executioners in white coats walk down a corridor to the cell holding Newt, Tina and Jacob.
FIRST EXECUTIONER
Mr. Graves would like to see you, Newt.
SECOND EXECUTIONER
(Opens cell door with her wand.)
BEFORE – Two executioners in white coats lead a shackled Newt and
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CREOCREATURA
INSERT ON PAGE 179 – (AFTER – leaving Abernathy – heart racing – staring after her.)
EXT. STREETS OF NEW YORK – DAY
Jacob, Newt, Tina and Queenie are walking down the sidewalk.
JACOB
Ah, we got a plan, right guys … Newt?
NEWT
We’re gonna recapture my creatures.
We’re gonna prove that they’re harmless.
And then we’re gonna find the Obscurial.
You see, that child needs our help.
TINA
There’s a place we can go.
A guy I used as an informant when I was an Auror.
NEWT
Well, he wouldn’t happen to have an interest in paw prints, would he?
TINA
He’s interested in anything he can sell.
{Though this scene was deleted the last three dialogue lines were replaced by dialogue on page 186}
BEFORE – (SCENE 79)
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NEWT AND TINA SEE THEIR FUTURE(S) (mentioned but not shown)
In a New Musical Express interview David Yates told the interviewer about “a really beautiful scene in which Newt tells Tina about a young African girl that he tried to save, because this young African girl had an Obscurus. It’s a really difficult story for Newt to tell. They’re in a department store, chasing the demiguise … as he shares this story with Tina, the demiguise has a forward vision of multiple futures for Tina and Newt. They start to peel away from each other and then you see these multiple Tinas and Newts having different conversations about their future.” David Heyman had reservations about using the scene, however, “That’s a tricky one there, isn’t it? How does that work conceptually? How does that not stop the film from rolling forward?” In the end they decided “it didn’t quite take us to where we wanted to be with them. And so, we took it out.” 6
The story Newt told Tina was about a young girl he had encountered in Sudan. She had been shut away from her tribe when she showed signs of magic as an Obscurus was depleting her strength and would eventually kill her. Newt believed the Obscurus was harmless outside the host child and that he could save her if he was able to separate her from the Obscurus. He succeeded in removing the magic dark force but the girl died. He trapped the Obscurus in a “shimmering black box” and put it in his case for later study. 4
I would place this in Scene 92, page 208, when the four are in the Department Store and Newt has just sent Jacob and Queenie to circle around behind the demiguise. While waiting for them to get into position he tells Tina the story.
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TRACKING THE DEMIGUISE
INSERT ON PAGE 209 – (AFTER – Newt smiles and moves to follow.)
TINA
(Sighs)
NEWT
No. Don’t look at him. Don’t look at him.
Its sight operates on probability, so it can foresee
the most likely immediate future.
{Though this scene was deleted the above dialogue lines were used on page 209}
DEMIGUISE
(Groans.)
Demiguise starts to run.
Newt and Tina chase the creature towards Jacob and Queenie.
JACOB
Newt. I got him. Come on.
Demiguise runs towards Jacob and Queenie
JACOB
I got him for you.
Come on, Mister. Ha-ha.
Demiguise leaps onto Jacob.
JACOB
Hey! I got you. You’re not so big.
Demiguise drags screaming Jacob through store.
QUEENIE
Oh. Jacob.
Demiguise slides Jacob into a display.
QUEENIE
Jacob!
Newt and Tina arrive where Jacob is laying.
NEWT
Good work, Mr. Kowalski.
Queenie laughs and kneels beside Jacob who is now wearing a hat.
QUEENIE
(Smiling.)
You thought I’d like you better in a hat.
(Chuckles.)
JACOB
I wish I could read you like you read me.
QUEENIE
Oh. No. No you don’t.
Queenie takes the hat off Jacob’s head.
QUEENIE
See, it ain’t always fun, seeing into other people’s heads.
Not everyone’s as nice …
They hear a rumbling.
JACOB
Maybe we should …
QUEENIE
Find the others.
JACOB
Yeah.
BEFORE – SCENE 91
In an interview with SnitchSeeker, Dan Fogler (Jacob) runs through his favorite scene, the one involving the demiguise. He lamented that a lot of “the stuff was cut for time.” Dan then gives details of the scene where the demiguise “runs at me and tramples over me. I somehow grab him and then suddenly I’m being pulled through the department store by this invisible force. I’m getting pulled and then the demiguise turns a corner and I lose my grip and I go smashing into the wall. Then Queenie runs and she thinks I’m hurt. By the time she gets to me … I’ve slammed into a clothing display. I roll over and I grab a hat and I put it on my head. I’m just sitting there just very suave like, “What’s wrong?” It was all improv and all fun.” This casts a bit of a dampener on the scene as we now no longer know what is improv and what was written by JKR. I suspect only the hat portion was improvised. 8
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SUITCASE CELEBRATION
INSERT ON PAGE 220 – (AFTER – HOGWASH.)
QUEENIE
Ca-caw! Ca-caw! (Purrs.)
(Tapping her foot.)
(Singing.)
We stand as one, united.
(Tina joins in singing.)
One, united,
Against the Puritan.
We draw inspiration
From Good Witch Morrigan.
For she was persecuted
By common wandless men,
So, she fled from distant Ireland
And so, our school began.
Oh, Ilvermorny, Massachusetts,
We choo-choose it.
We choo-choose it.
The Wizard School supreme.
Your castle walls that kept us safe,
Our days with you a dream.
You taught us all our magic
And now one thing’s quite clear
QUEENIE
Where e’re we roam
TINA
Where e’re we roam
QUEENIE
Our one true home.
TINA
Our one alone.
QUEENIE AND TINA
Is Ilvermorny dear.
JACOB
Whoo! I choo-choose it! Whoo!
(Clapping with Newt.)
I wanna be a wizard.
BEFORE – (A gigantic crack of thunder.)
The Ilvermorny song lyrics were written by Jo Rowling and the melody by Alison Sudol who played Queenie. “I wrote the melody and Jo wrote the lyrics,’ said Alison. ‘So, we co-wrote the song, which is wild!” 5 Though David Yates said he loved the scene it was decided that it wasn’t quite right for the pacing of the final film. “I got Alison to write it because Alison is a really gifted songwriter’, said Yates ‘But the momentum of the storytelling at that point was starting to drag a little bit. And I just thought, as delightful as it was, it stopped the movie. At that point in the story, there’s a lot of stuff going on outside,” he explained, ‘so it felt a little peculiar that all four of them had sat down to sing a song.” Dan Fogler later admitted that as Newt and Jacob were sitting, listening and started clapping he improved the line “I wanna be a wizard.”
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SKYSCRAPER ROOF
INSERT ON PAGE 233 – AFTER (It’s too dangerous.)
QUEENIE
You lost your brother in the war.
JACOB
Queenie, honey. You’re gonna take me with you.
BEFORE – SCENE 100
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OBSCURUS UNLEASHED – PART 1
INSERT ON PAGE 230 – AFTER (Graves stands watching as the Obscurus zooms out and over the city.)
INT. SHAW TOWER NEWSROOM – NIGHT
Shaw Sr., Langdon and Barker around desk, discussing newspaper.
SHAW SR
I want … I want his face larger.
I want to see his face.
I don’t care about the background.
See his face, and maybe a black border.
Hear rumbling – glass cracking as Shaw Sr walks into his office – screaming outside – people screaming as an Obscurus flies down the street.
BEFORE – SCENE 98
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OBSCURUS UNLEASHED – PART 2
INSERT ON PAGE 239 – AFTER (terrifying supernatural force powering toward them.)
Newt Apparates into middle of street in front of Police barricade. Looks at Police.
NEWT
Don’t panic.
There’s absolutely nothing to worry about.
POLICEMAN
Ain’t that the guy from the jewelry store?
Noises announce the approaching Obscurus as destruction speeds towards Newt and the Police line.
Newt Disapparates.
BEFORE – (Their faces turn from confused alarm to total panic…)
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NEWT GOODBYE
INSERT ON PAGE 276 – AFTER (there’s a playful skip to her step.)
Ship sailing out of New York Harbor. Billywig flies high above the city. Billywig watches the ship then flies after it.
BEFORE – SCENE 123
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CREDENCE SURVIVES (mentioned but not shown)
In an interview with SnitchSeeker, David Heyman admitted that “a key scene showing Credence alive and well following his supposed death was removed from the final film. He explained “We actually had a scene, which we cut, which was Credence going to a boat, to get on a boat somewhere else. But we cut that, because we didn’t want to have it be such an, ‘Ahhh, here we go.’”. It was a scene of “Him getting on a boat, maybe a boat with Newt, maybe not, and heading off out of New York.” 6
Had the scene remained in the film it would likely have been on page 276 after the deleted scene above and perhaps been incorporated in with the Billywig’s flight. Despite Heyman’s comment about Credence “getting on a boat, maybe a boat with Newt” that is unlikely as we later discovered in “Crimes of Grindelwald” he joined the Circus Arcanus and traveled to France with the troupe. I suspect Heyman’s remark was designed to obscure what actually happens as he had already said more than he should have to the interviewer regarding the fate of Credence.
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THESEUS’ LETTER (Mentioned but not shown)
There is another source, reported by SnitchSeeker.com’s ‘masterofmystery’ in which a letter from Theseus Scamander to his brother, Newt, is discovered. The letter was seen during a press preview of Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood’s ‘Fantastic Beasts and Harry Potter’ exhibit. Snitchseeker’s team spotted the letter as they browsed through the props, costumes and sets on display. One of the display cases contained several items, including an Occamy egg, Newt’s wand and the letter from Theseus. The letter was photographed and later transcribed, though part of it was obscured by other props. 9
That’s not the end of the story. The exact text, or at least the first half of it reappeared in an unexpected place, and you must ask yourself “is this something someone just made up at MinaLima’s magical prop factory or is it from the secret “book” shooting-script?” Surprisingly confirmation, or what appears to be confirmation, appeared on YouTube in “LEGO Dimensions All Cut Scenes Fantastic Beasts”. The clips begin with a LEGO Newt sitting on the ship reading Theseus’ letter.
The interesting thing about the LEGO cutscenes is that they went up on 16 November, the same day the film premiered. For the text and scenes to match LEGO must have had a copy of the acreenplay so that they could create the stop-action animation video ahead of the Premiere and thereby promote their LEGO sets for Christmas. This is information that clearly came from an earlier shooting script. However, not all the scenes are in the LEGO production, and not all the dialogue matches the script so the validity of the LEGO cutscenes is open to debate. As well, many of the scenes with the LEGO characters are done for laughs and do not correspond with the film. 10
Should the letter reading segment later be proven to be a deleted scene it would fit in as follows:
INSERT ON PAGE 2 (AFTER – We push in toward a figure sitting on a bench with his back to us – Newt Scamander…)
Newt is reading a letter.
THESEUS (V.O.)
Well, little brother,
I don’t know how much you have heard wherever
you are about what’s going on in jolly old Europe but this chap
Grindelwald has been making a lot of noise since you have
been away.
Charismatic blighter, but the Ministry doesn’t like him
and nor does the International Confederation.
He has upset a few of the big wheels and he’s gone
underground. I have been chosen to go away and ferret him out.
(____) at the chance to be picked, actually, because the whole
(_____) want to be on this case and it’s taken some
(_____) hard work to reach this status.
(_____) wishing you well – wherever you are.
(_____) whatever beastly quests you are undertaking!
Best regards,
Theseus
And BEFORE – Beside him rests a battered brown leather case.
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Sources
1 – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay – Acknowledgements – J. K. Rowling – 2016
2 – The Case of Beasts: Explore the Film Wizardry of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Mark Salisbury – 2016
3 – You Tube interview – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnSdOG1wkKQ
4 – Scholastic Publications – Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them: Character Guide – Michael Kogge – 2016; Newt Scamander: A Movie Scrapbook – Rick Barba – 2016; Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: Magical Movie Handbook – Michael Kogge – 2016
4a – https://www.pottermore.com/news/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-fantastic-beasts-extra
Deleted Scenes: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
