5 Magical 'Fantastic Beasts' Facts You May Not Know

This is the week where Harry Potter fans emerge from their five-year hibernation. With the release of #FantasticBeasts, time turners are being spun and Hogwarts scarfs are being worn. However, after 10 years, from Sorcerer's Stone to Deathly Hallows, there are very few facts and very few secrets that have been kept hidden from the world. However, with barely a week since the premiere, very little has, as yet, been revealed from behind the scenes of Fantastic Beasts. So, grab a niffler and a licorice wand and enjoy 5 magical facts about Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them that you may like to know:

1. They Kept Their British Roots

 As you may or may not know #FantasticBeastsAndWhereToFindThem is set in early 20th century Manhattan. For some, this transfer from the UK may have seemed like a big step from the #HarryPotter series, which barely (if ever) left the UK. However, you can take the wizarding world out of the UK, but you can't take the UK out of the wizarding world. In reality, Fantastic Beasts kept to their British roots and actually filmed the whole thing without setting foot outside the UK (Liverpool, to be more exact).

2. The Cast Chose Their Wands

Although this may go against Olivander's idea of the the wand choosing the wizard, it was not the case for the cast of Fantastic Beasts. However, although you can don the cloaks and pointy hats, a wizard is only as authentic as his wand. This time around the actors got to design their own wands and the process was all but simple. According to AOL, #EddieRadmayne (Newt) has stated:

"They gave you examples to start with. He spent the year out in the field. It's seen a lot of action, Newt's wand, in the wrangling of creatures. It was made of wood. It has a lot of nicks in it. The bottom was made of shell. I love it. It's really Newt-y. It's not the most glamorous of wands. But now they're selling it. I love my wand.

Fellow co-star #KatherineWaterston (Tina) also claims:

"They sent us an email with a password. It's top-secret. They gave us lots of options. It was such a collaborative process. I couldn't decide between two and they made both. It was a great way to get into the magical world."

While #AlisonSudol (who plays Tina's Sister, Queenie) also stated:

"Trying to think about the soul the person has. What does your magic look like? What is the person's essence? I found it really interesting. Queenie's wand — it just had a really simple pearl handle and it was dark."

This makes Harry Potter's wand choosing seem easy, doesn't it?

3. The Cast Went To Wand Lessons

If wand choosing looked hard, learning how to use those wands will make erumpent handling look like child's play. For most wizards and witches, wand handling comes from years of experience and practice, but the cast of Fantastic Beasts had to get it just right, so who better to ask than the cast who'd been doing it since they were 12?

Radmayne and company actually went to the original Harry Potter cast (Including #DanielRadcliffe, #RupertGrint and #EmmaWatson) for some wand-handling tips. Apart from getting first-hand advice from this legendary cast, the Fantastic Beasts cast also watched the Harry Potter films to see Radcliffe and the others in action. They learned from the best and it really payed off. In fact, they were amazing!

 

4. Eddie Was Destined To Be Newt

It seems that Eddie attempted to enter the wizarding world years ago when he auditioned for the role of Tom Riddle in Harry Potter an the Chamber of Secrets. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), he didn't get the role. Over a decade later, when Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them started looking for their leading man, Eddie didn't even have to audition for the role of Newt. The young actor was #JKRowling's first choice for the role — and she was spot on.

5. No Sickles And Galleons For The Americans

Knots, sickles and galleons are the wizarding currency that supported Harry Potter and his friends for all those years ago. Well, it seems that sickles won't cut it in the US. The american currency is called dragots and sprinks. Very little has yet been released, but who knows — we might be converting our galleons to dragots any day now.