Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018)
The year is 1927. MACUSA is preparing to deport Grindelwald to Europe. During the transportation, he escapes. In England, Newt Scamander is trying to regain his right to travel, which was revoked by the Ministry of Magic after his return from New York. The Ministry agrees to restore his travel rights on the condition that Newt works for them under the supervision of his brother Theseus, head of the Auror Department. Newt is specifically tasked with tracking down and eliminating Credence, who survived the events in New York. Newt flatly refuses. The Ministry denies Newt's request to lift the travel ban and assigns Auror Grimmson to track down Credence. Newt meets with Professor Dumbledore, who asks him to find Credence, claiming he can still be saved, and to thwart Grindelwald. Dumbledore tells Newt that Credence is likely a lost descendant of the Lestrange family and the younger brother of Newt's childhood friend, Leta Lestrange. Meanwhile, Tina is also searching for Credence. Newt heads to Paris with Jacob, who hopes to find Queenie there—they had quarreled because Jacob refused to marry Queenie, unwilling to endanger her.
In Paris, Credence works at a traveling circus, Circus Arcanus, which cruelly exploits magical creatures and a cursed girl (a Maledictus) named Nagini. During one of Nagini’s performances, Credence and Nagini plan an escape. In the chaos, Tina loses sight of Credence. She questions the circus owner, who reveals that Credence was looking for his mother.
Establishing himself in Paris, Grindelwald gathers followers. He aims to win over Credence, the only one capable of killing Dumbledore. Grindelwald knows all about Credence's movements but prefers not to use force—Credence must come to him willingly.
Unable to find her sister in Paris, Queenie falls into despair. She is approached by a stranger who turns out to be Grindelwald’s assistant. Grindelwald persuades Queenie to join him, promising that his victory will allow her to be with Jacob freely.
Credence and Nagini arrive at the place where they believe Credence's mother lives. However, they find only a house-elf servant named Irma. Irma warmly greets Credence and tells him that years ago, she gave him to Mary Lou, believing the foster mother would care for him. Their conversation is interrupted by the sudden arrival of Grimmson, whose attack kills Irma. Credence defends himself and Nagini by transforming into an Obscurus. It is revealed that Grimmson works for Grindelwald—this was all a plan to unsettle Credence.
Tina contacts a wizard named Yusuf Kama, who is also searching for Credence. Yusuf tells Tina about a prophecy connected to the Lestrange family. Newt and Jacob find Tina through Yusuf. Once he gathers all three of them in one place, Yusuf locks them up, promising to release them only after Credence is dead. Newt, Tina, and Jacob manage to escape and interrogate Yusuf. Newt and Tina then head to the Parisian Ministry of Magic, where something that can shed light on the Lestrange family’s mystery is kept. Jacob heads to Grindelwald’s rally after learning that Queenie is there. Meanwhile, Aurors, including Leta and Theseus, head to Paris.
Grindelwald meets with Credence, promising to reveal his true identity if he comes to the Lestrange family tomb. Newt, Tina, and Leta arrive at the tomb, where the Ministry’s artifact has been relocated. There, they encounter Yusuf, Credence, and Nagini. Yusuf recounts the history of his family: years ago, Corvus Lestrange bewitched his mother. She died giving birth to Leta. Shortly after, Lestrange remarried, and the son from that marriage was the only person he ever loved. Yusuf made an Unbreakable Vow to his father to kill the person most precious to the man who destroyed their family. Aware of this, Lestrange sent his son to America with Leta and Irma.
Yusuf attempts to kill Credence, knowing he will die otherwise. Leta stops him, revealing that her brother is already dead—she accidentally caused his death herself. On the way to New York, young Corvus cried constantly, preventing Leta from resting. She briefly switched him with a calm infant from another cabin. When the ship sank, she didn’t have time to switch them back, and her brother drowned.
The artifact turns out to be the Lestrange family tree, confirming the story.
Everyone in the tomb is suddenly drawn to Grindelwald’s rally. Grindelwald uses visions of the upcoming Second World War to justify the need for wizards to dominate Muggles. Aurors, led by Theseus, arrive at the rally. Grindelwald sends his followers to spread the word about what they have seen and heard. To protect himself, he conjures a form of Fiendfyre and demands that those remaining join him. Ignoring Jacob and Nagini, Queenie and Credence agree. Leta pretends to align with Grindelwald to buy time for the others to escape but ultimately dies in the flames along with many Aurors. Tina, Newt, Jacob, Yusuf, Nagini, and Theseus flee the tomb. The flames spread outside, threatening to destroy the entire area. With the help of Nicolas Flamel, the group manages to extinguish the inferno. Niffler retrieves a vial of blood—representing the magical pact that prevents Dumbledore and Grindelwald from dueling—and gives it to Newt. The survivors return to Hogwarts, where Newt hands the vial to Dumbledore.
In his fortress in Austria (Nurmengard), Grindelwald speaks with Credence and gifts him a wand. Credence observes a phoenix chick, which Grindelwald transforms into an adult phoenix, saying that a phoenix appears to any Dumbledore family member in moments of despair (Dumbledore had mentioned this legend to Newt earlier, stating that his ancestor disappeared with a phoenix many years ago). Grindelwald reveals Credence’s true name: Aurelius Dumbledore. He also lies to Credence, claiming that his brother (Albus Dumbledore) wants him dead. Enraged, Credence believes Grindelwald and fires a powerful spell, destroying part of the mountain.