Actress Afshan Azad has thanked J.K. Rowling in a tweet marking the 20th anniversary of the first “Harry Potter” movie.

Azad, 33, played Padma Patil in the final five films in the fantasy franchise, winning a legion of fans across the globe.

On Tuesday, she took to Twitter to mark two decades since “Harry Potter and Sorcerer’s Stone” was released, writing: “When the film came out I was sucked into the magical world like every other kid. Little did I know years later I’d audition for a role that would change my entire life upside down. I owe everything to @jk_rowling, the casting agents and the Potter films.”

The tweet was liked more than 19,000 times, with followers praising Azad for recognizing Rowling — who penned the “Harry Potter” books.

However, Rowling has been under fire for controversial comments she made about the transgender community last year, with critics calling for her to be canceled.

Fans will be spellbound.

After months of anticipation, HBO Max has finally dropped the first official photo from the set of the highly anticipated “Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts” special.

“Like they never left,” the streaming platform wrote alongside the nostalgic Twitter pic, which depicts stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson conversing in the iconic Gryffindor common room.

The photo marks the first time three fantasy stars have been photographed together since the “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part Two” premiere in 2011.

The nostalgic retrospective commemorates the beloved film franchise’s 20th anniversary anniversary, which began with the immortal “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” in 2001.

HBO have yet to announce the special’s official length. However, “Return To Hogwarts” will provide a behind-the-scenes look at making of the eight films through “in-depth interviews” and “cast conversations,” Variety reported. A teaser for the retrospective aired Sunday night on TBS and Cartoon Network, featuring cameos from Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid), Matthew Lewis (Neville Longbottom) and Mark Williams (Arthur Weasley).

Along with the aforementioned stars, the reunion will feature cast and crew from previous films, including “Sorcerer’s Stone” director Chris Columbus, and actors Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Tom Felton, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps and more.

Absent from the “Return To Hogwarts” roster will be the late great Alan Rickman (Severus Snape), who passed away in 2016 at 69 after a short battle with Pancreatic cancer.

Meanwhile, “Harry Potter” author JK Rowling also won’t be giving interviews in the special, but will appear in archival footage. However, it’s unclear if this decision was based on the viral controversy that was spawned last summer, when the fantasy scribe fired off a series of Tweets that were deemed “transphobic” by some Harry Potter fans and actors.

“There’s magic in the air here with this incredible cast, as they all return home to the original sets of Hogwarts, where they began 20 years ago,” Casey Patterson, “RTH’s” executive producer at Warner Bros., said in November.

The nostalgic special premieres on HBO Max on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2022.

Let’s take a look at some of the items you can buy this week.

Aldi Specialbuys

This Sunday at Aldi you can treat the kids to some new toys of their favourite characters from Harry Potter to Disney and you can find some DIY must-haves too. 

Lightyear Sox Interactive Pet Toy (Aldi)

Get a furry fuss-free friend with the Lightyear Sox Interactive Pet Toy by Disney. Sox is Buzz Lightyears’ best companion and the adorable interactive toy is perfect for anyone that loves the Toy Story franchise. Plus it’s super cuddly and you can get it now for £22.99 via Aldi. 

Treat the little astronaut in your life to the Lightyear XL-07 Spacecraft from the hit Disney film ‘Lightyear’. This toy will let their imaginations run wild as they imagine going to hyperspace as they embark on an unlimited space adventure with the Buzz Lightyear. You can get it now for £9.99 via Aldi. 

 Chainsaw 20/40V Battery Charger (Aldi)

If you’re in need of some new tools then Aldi has some great bargains for you with the Chainsaw 20/40V Battery Charger at the top of the list. You’ll be able to tame your garden, cut back bushes, and trim trees to have the perfect garden with this premium chainsaw. You can get it now for £101.97 via Aldi. 

Keep the lawn looking its best with the Ferrex Cordless Lawn Mower. The battery-operated tool is hassle-free with a 45 litres collection box and makes cutting grass easy peasy. You can get it now for just £99.99 via Aldi. 

Lidl Middle Aisle: 

This weekend at Lidl you can grab all must-have toys from Lego to remote control cars. 

The Batman LEGO set. (Lidl)

If you have someone in your life that loves Lego then look no further as Lidl has three sets to choose from. With the choice of Frozen, Batman or Fantasy Forest creatures to choose from. The suitable age does depend on the product but you can get them now for £11.99 per set via Lidl. 

Store your Lego in one handy space with the Lego Storage Brick that comes in a range of colours. The box keeps the traditional look of a Lego square and is the perfect way to brighten up any room. You can buy a set of two now for £22.99. 

 Playtive Remote Controlled Car (Lidl)

Have hours of fun with the Playtive Remote Controlled Car that has a powerful electric motor for speed. Plus it can even be driven upside down. The remote control has a 30-metre range with a three-year warranty. You can get it now for £17.99 via Lidl.

Run around the garden enjoying some fun with the Nerf Super Soakers with a choice of the Torrent or Piranha. The Torrent creates vertical floods so you can soak your opponents. Whilst the Piranha is great for surprise attacks with its compact design. You can get them for £6.99 each now via Lidl. 

They needed an actor to play a younger version of Albus Dumbledore.

It sounds as if the folks making 2018’s “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” — the second Wizarding World adventure set decades before author J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” saga — didn’t exactly have to beg Jude Law to take on the role of the powerful wizard.

“I mean, it was kind of a no-brainer: ‘Would you like to play Albus Dumbledore?’ ‘Yes, I would,’” Law says during a virtual news conference for the follow-up to “Grindelwald,” “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” which lands in U.S. theaters this week. “I felt like I’d been in preparation, subconsciously, from the minute I started reading the (“Potter”) books to my children.

“Gosh, there’s just so much in the character to mine and to investigate as an actor — that’s before you even get into this extraordinary world of magic.”

“The Secrets of Dumbledore,” co-written by Rowling, continues the story launched with 2016’s “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” It features series mainstays Eddie Redmayne, as magizoologist Newt Scamander; Dan Fogler, as baker and Muggle Jacob Kowalski; Alison Sudol, as mindreader Queenie Goldstein; and Ezra Miller, as Credence Barebone, a powerful but disturbed wizard who was revealed in “Grindelwald” to be a member of the Dumbledore family.

(The movie also features Katherine Waterson, an Auror from America and Newt’s love interest, but only briefly. The actress did not take part in the news conference.)

It sees Mads Mikkelsen in the role of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald, the actor taking over from the departed Johnny Depp. Grindelwald continues to build support in the magical world for a war against the Muggles, whom he finds quite distasteful.

Early on in the movie, viewers will begin to learn more about these “Secrets of Dumbledore,” starting with just how intertwined his past is with Grindelwald’s.

“I always imagined that being Dumbledore was always quite a lonely place, being that he was brilliant and outstanding at a very young age — to the point that he probably felt somewhat isolated,” Law says. “Then, suddenly, he meets someone who is as brilliant and matches him and inspires him, and that kind of connection is very, very, very powerful — more so when you’re at a young age.

“I think it’s important, then, to also remember what their time together would have been like — incredibly dynamic, incredibly cherished and special,” he continues. “And then this awful moment (arrives) where you realize you’re on a different path; you’re actually moving away from each other. But that doesn’t necessarily take away from the explosive kernel, the firework that went off initially.”

The Wizarding World last year celebrated its 20th anniversary — Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” (titled “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” in this country) was released in 2001 — and “Dumbledore” director David Yates now has been at the helm of the last seven films, dating to 2007’s “Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.”

Yates says he values the ever-expanding collective of talented folks that has grown out of the continuing endeavor.

“When you make a movie, it’s a huge logistical enterprise, and it’s tough creatively, logistically, technically,” Yates says. “So going into that experience with people you respect and admire but who also can take the strain of it with some real dignity and some real humor is essential. And (those are) the qualities I’ve found in many of the people I’ve worked with in front of the camera and behind the camera.”

There’s a real sense of family, he says.

“We use that word quite a bit, but it’s important because that doesn’t (always) happen in our industry because it’s a tough business.”

Yates is then asked why, in his view, the movies are so enduring.

“They’ve become a safe place to go for lots of people,” he says. “They celebrate certain values — loyalty, love, friendship, empowering the outsider/the person you always underestimate — things that resonate for a lot of people in the real world, as they do in this magical space. It’s a beautiful thing to be part of stories that create a safe space for some people when they go to the movie theater to watch them. I’m very proud of that.”

“The Secrets of Dumbledore” reveals the magical sides to previously unseen locations, including a forest in China and Germany’s Ministry of Magic.

Says producer Tim Lewis, “One of the exciting things — certainly for the audience and certainly for us filmmakers — is we get to open up the magical world and go to completely new areas.”

However, he acknowledged the movie also returns fans to some favorite spots, none more beloved than the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Its future headmaster, Dumbledore is a professor there at the moment, as is Jessica Williams’ Charms Professor Eulalie “Lally” Hicks, a newcomer to the franchise.

“Oh yeah, I got chills,” she says of being on the Hogwarts set. “I started reading those books in the third grade, and a lot of those books hadn’t come out yet.”

She found being in the Great Hall especially meaningful.

“And then seeing the kids in their robes, their wizarding uniforms … I wanted to cry,” she says. “You know the sensation of wanting to squeeze something cute? I wanted to just squeeze a lot of the kids and just shake them.

“But then I realized I was an actor, and it’s a liability, so I didn’t squeeze the kids. But the sensation was there,” Williams adds. “It was totally a pinch-me moment, and it was really surreal.”

Returning to the subject of his portrayal of Dumbledore, Law is asked whether he needed to rewatch the “Harry Potter” movies to match up the portrayals of the character as an older wizard, first by Richard Harris and then by Michael Gambon.

“The major lure was to fill in gaps and go back and explore themes and sides of his character that were hinted at in the books and suggested in the films,” he says. “Yeah, any excuse to go back and rewatch — I was probably caught rewatching them over and over saying, ‘I’m doing research! I’m studying!’

“Honestly,” he continues, “It was kind of important, we felt, to free ourselves from the Dumbledore we knew because he wasn’t quite that man yet. But, at the same time, there were definite qualities that both Richard Harris and Michael Gambon gave the character that I wanted to steal, I suppose — the humor and the relish of life and impish behavior. Both of them have a sort of gravitas, a soulfulness, that I thought was really beautiful and complicated.”

Speaking of “complicated” things, Yates uses that word, with a laugh, to describe the plot of “The Crimes of Grindelwald,” and he says it took the filmmakers a while put all the pieces together.

“So with this story in particular, we wanted it not only to be emotional, but we wanted it to be enjoyable and for it to be a real treat — and for it to lean into the values of some of the earlier ‘Potter’ films that had whimsy and charm, humor and humanity.”

To that last quality, Yates recalls a private screening a few weeks earlier in which a single youth was among the select few in attendance.

“Everyone turned to him when the lights went out and said, ‘What do you think?’” Yates says. “And he looked at me, and he said, ‘I liked it. It’s really human.’ And I thought, ‘We’ll take that.’ We made a film with all this extraordinary stuff in it, and the one thing he takes away from it: ‘It’s really human.’ That’s a testament to the performances and the story and everything.”

Mads Mikkelsen’s the worst thing to happen to J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world since that snaky varmint Voldemort.

Replacing Johnny Depp after his various controversies, Mikkelsen’s a deliciously sinister delight as dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” (★★★ out of four; rated PG-13; in theaters April 15). The third installment of director David Yates’ “Harry Potter” period prequel series still is overstuffed with characters and subplots, yet polishes a few missteps from previous films. There’s a renewed emphasis on magical creatures and another decidedly political bent to the franchise as it  digs into dark themes and offers a bewitching goofy side.

‘Fantastic Beasts’:Mads Mikkelsen’s Grindelwald declares war in ‘Secrets of Dumbledore’ trailer

Set in the 1930s, the new film continues the narrative that Grindelwald’s ready to go to war to eradicate the world’s Muggle (non-magical) population. He foments hatred among his followers and enacts a grand plan that will place him in control of the entire wizarding community through electoral means.

His former lover, Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) can’t move against Grindelwald because of a blood oath between them. So he enlists the “Beasts” films’ primary antagonist, lovably awkward magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), to round up a “Dirty Dozen”-style crew of operatives for a counterintelligence mission to stymie the villain until they can strike back.

Along for the ride are Newt’s human baker pal Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler), brother Theseus Scamander (Callum Turner) and a new character, Lally (Jessica Williams), a Charms professor at the American counterpart to Hogwarts.

‘Fantastic Beasts’:Mads Mikkelsen talks stepping in for Johnny Depp

In the previous 2018 outing, “The Crimes of Grindelwald,” Newt took a back seat to young Dumbledore and a host of other characters. “Secrets” puts him back at center stage, in his natural habitat of looking for cool animals and being an all-around likable sort. There’s a daring rescue in which Redmayne does a wacky hip-swiveling dance with a bunch of baby scorpion things that’s so preposterous and silly it’s endearing.

All the movies from J.K. Rowling’s magical universe, definitively ranked

Law brings a mercurial side to Dumbledore that’s more in line with the version of the “Potter” films. Williams’ Lally is an enchanting new presence, while Jacob continues to be the comedic heart of this movie series: Kowalski’s goodhearted everyman aims to rescue his mind-reading love Queenie (Alison Sudol) – now a member of Grindelwald’s entourage – but finds time to have an enjoyable back-and-forth while lunching with some Hogwarts kids.

Not every good actor is a good crier on screen. Just like anything else, to making weeping look authentic on celluloid, it needs considerable talent. If you overdo it, that is of course a problem, but if you underplay it too much, the larger audience won’t be able to connect with it. It might sound a little cruel if you put it without context, but Emma Thompson’s crying bit in the Richard Curtis directorial Love Actually (2003) is just a heart-wrenching, realistic piece of acting that will break your heart too. Incidentally, British star Kit Harington is of the same opinion. In fact, in an earlier interview, he has even gone as far as to claim that it’s his ‘favourite bit of acting’ ever.

Karen (a wonderful Emma Thompson) is married to Alan Rickman’s Harry (ironical, if you know your Harry Potter). But bored of his predictable and long-term marriage, he seeks excitement in an affair with a much younger Mia (Heike Makatsch), and right on Christmas, his wife catches on what has been happening. Karen and Harry are exchanging gifts by the Christmas tree with their tiny tots, and Karen is expecting a lovely piece of ornament she had seen Harry buy at the store. But she’s in for a quiet shock when she finally tears open her present — a Joni Mitchell CD. “To continue your emotional learning,” says Harry, and really, there has never been a moment when I have disliked the late Alan Rickman, not even when he was his meanest best to the kids of Harry Potter as Professor Snape. But one look at Emma’s shattered expression (which she does her best to hold back), and you are a goner.

What follows next is even more painful. Emma’s Karen goes up to her bedroom to give herself a moment. She closes the door and we see what she is seeing, the happy framed photograph of herself and her husband, then, her bed, which she has shared with her partner for god knows how long. Everything in the room is a piece of her and him together. And each of those things has now been tainted with his betrayal. This whole scene could have been so dramatic, but Emma’s controlled skills and Curtis’ direction work in tandem to create an enduring piece of cinema in an otherwise cheesy, soppy Christmas feature.

Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” plays in the background as Emma cries silently, half-determined not to let herself break completely as she keeps wiping the falling tears from her cheeks. And then comes the excruciating bit, of cleaning up and going back to the living room to her excited children and her unfaithful husband. I wept.

To channel the appropriate emotions, Emma remembered what she had been through after filmmaker-actor Kenneth Branagh had cheated on her with a younger Helena Bonham Carter. “I knew just how to play that part [of a wife who has stumbled across evidence of what might be her husband’s infidelity], I’ve had so much bloody practice at crying in a bedroom and then having to go out and be cheerful, gathering up the pieces of my heart and putting them in a drawer,” Emma had told The Telegraph in 2005. And to think that she had to do it 12 times! Curtis aptly called it, “A brutal bit of sorrow.” Another time at a fundraiser event, the actor had elaborated on the scene and said, “That scene where my character is standing by the bed crying is so well known because it’s something everyone’s been through. I had my heart very badly broken by Ken (Kenneth Branagh), so I knew what it was like to find the necklace that wasn’t meant for me. Well, it wasn’t exactly that, but we’ve all been through it.”

Since then, it’s all water under the bridge for Emma; the actor has even called Helena ‘a wonderful woman’ on one occasion.

Also on Scene Stealerthis heart-wrenching sequence from Marriage Story ft Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver

Known for her comedic chops (both as a writer and an actor), Emma Thompson with that scene alone established herself as a brilliant dramatic actor.

You can watch Love Actually on Google Play.

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It’s 20 years since Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the first movie adaptation of a Harry Potter book, was released in cinemas worldwide, prompting plenty of nostalgic reflection from fans, and from the film’s cast and crew. A number of tabloids have reported that a HBO Max documentary, Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, which will air on New Year’s Day, will include new interviews with the original cast and production team, but not with the author of the books, JK Rowling. Why?

Why has JK Rowling not been interviewed for the documentary?

According to the Times, WarnerMedia, which owns HBO Max (as well as Warner Bros, which produced the Harry Potter movies), declined to say why Rowling was not participating in the programme. Rowling has not commented either. It is unclear whether Rowling was not asked to appear, or if she declined to participate. The documentary will focus on the 2001 film, not the books, and will feature archive footage of Rowling.

Why is this controversial?

Related

Some outlets are suggesting that Rowling’s absence from the documentary is due to her stance on trans issues, which have caused some upset within the Harry Potter fan community. But as neither Warner nor Rowling have confirmed that this is the case, this as yet remains speculation.

Who will be interviewed?

The special will feature the actors who played Harry, Ron and Hermione: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, as well as the director of the original 2001 movie, Chris Columbus. They will be joined by actors from across the eight-film franchise, including Helena Bonham Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, Jason Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Imelda Staunton, Tom Felton, James Phelps, Oliver Phelps, Mark Williams, Bonnie Wright, Alfred Enoch, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch and Ian Hart.

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“Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts” will air on HBO on 1 January 2022

Editor’s Note: BuzzFeed does not support discriminatory or hateful speech in any form. We stand by the LGBTQ+ community and all fans who found a home in the Harry Potter series and will work to provide a safe space for fans. If you, like us, feel impassioned about trans rights, learn more or donate here. 

With Friday’s release of “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” I felt that it was appropriate to look back at the 10 previous film entries in the Wizarding World.

Almost all of them have their own individual charms, and now the entire franchise is primed for a comprehensive ranking.

Here is how I would rank the eight “Harry Potter” and two “Fantastic Beast” movies – from worst to best:

10) ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ (2018)

This is the only entry in the franchise that I did not enjoy. The charm of the first film is mostly absent here, and it tries to be far too complex for its own good. It relies too much on Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp, who was replaced by Mads Mikkelsen in the new film), who has mostly become an imitation of Voldemort.

9) ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ (2007)

In terms of capturing Harry’s trauma and aggression, this entry excels above all others. It is great to see more of the big names in the Wizarding World outside Hogwarts, and its climatic battle is one of the highlights of the franchise. My only frustration lies in everyone denying the return of Voldemort, which becomes irritating after a while.

8) ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’ (2002)

The whimsy and wonder of magic are still in full effect here, and that makes this one almost nostalgic for me. My favorite moments include the Polyjuice potion, Ron’s flying car and the frightening chase from a horde of spiders. While it doesn’t try to be as flashy as the first film, the sequel does not disappoint.

7) ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1’ (2010)

The first half of the final book takes its time and allows the main trio the chance to breathe and grow in a world outside Hogwarts. This is both good and bad. It is good to see Harry, Ron and Hermione become adults who take the fight to Voldemort. It is bad because it doesn’t feel like much is accomplished on the larger scale.

6) ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’ (2009)

This one has many standout moments in the franchise. One of my favorites is when Ron mistakenly eats a love potion meant for Harry. This one balances the slice-of-life stories with the bigger ramifications rather nicely, and Professor Slughorn might be my favorite teacher they introduced. Not to mention, it will always stick out for having the biggest surprise in the franchise that still brings a tear to my eye to this day.

5) ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ (2016)

What I love the most about this franchise is its world building without losing its sense of wonder and imagination, and this prequel lays that on thicker than ever. It certainly has the lowest stakes of all the entries, but it makes up for that with memorable characters, creative magical creatures and a captivating approach to a magical New York in the 1920s.

4) ‘Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire’ (2005)

While this entry is my favorite book, I feel like the movie adaptation missed the mark on a few things – but I can easily overlook those issues and enjoy probably the most adventurous and wild entry in the franchise. Every challenge in the Tri-Wizard Cup is thrilling without repeating themselves, and the climax is probably the most haunting moment in all these films.

3) ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ (2001)

I remember going to this in theaters in 2001 and being blown away the first time I saw Hogwarts on the big screen. The wonderful feeling of magic and the joy it presents permeate this movie. There are so many memorable moments, including the first train ride to Hogwarts, the Sorting Hat scene, the Quidditch match, the troll in the dungeon and of course the trials the trio go through in the end. If you ever want to feel like a kid again, this is one of the best films to do so.

2) ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2’ (2011)

This one is right up there with “The Return of the King” and “Avengers: Endgame” as one of the greatest culminations in cinema, where sequential storytelling and a lot of patience finally pay off. This is the most satisfying entry and the most heartwarming, with Harry, Ron and Hermione finally becoming adults.

1) ‘Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ (2004)

Unlike all the other entries, this one feels like its own contained story about Harry seeking revenge for his parents, sacrificing the larger story for a more personal one. The film perfectly balances the wacky and whimsical with the horrific and terrifying. And along with Alfonso Cuaron’s unique style and approach, he creates the most unforgettable film in the franchise.

Naturally, then, there are a fair few references to places, characters, and things we know and love from the original books and movies – and we’ve done our best to pick them all out below.

Read on for all the Harry Potter Easter Eggs in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.

**Spoiler warning for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore**

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Harry Potter easter eggs in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Professor McGonagall

While one Hogwarts teacher is relatively front and centre in the Fantastic Beasts franchise – in the shape of Jude Law’s Albus Dumbledore – he’s not the only one of Harry Potter’s future professors to pop up during the runtime.

As she did in the previous film, Fiona Glascott makes a brief appearance as Minerva McGonagall – who we know goes on to become the Transfiguration teacher and head of Gryffindor house.

Her cameo this time around comes when she shows up at the Hog’s Head pub and lends a hand to her long-term ally Dumbledore.

Funnily enough, the inclusion of McGonagall last time around caused quite a storm amongst fans – given that according to the official timeline established by previous books and films, she likely wouldn’t even have been born yet when these films are set…

Quidditch

The sport of Quidditch is constantly referenced throughout the original films and books, as Harry becomes the youngest seeker in a century and goes on to form a crucial part of the Gryffindor team for the duration of his Hogwarts stay.

It’s far more incidental in the Fantastic Beasts film, but there is a key scene involving Quidditch balls – including a golden snitch – towards the end of the new movie.

The balls are contained in one of the decoy cases that Dumbledore hands out to his allies to trick Grindelwald’s followers in Bhutan.

The Room of Requirement

This magical room played a key role in the original books and films after it was first discovered by Harry and his friends in The Order of the Phoenix, thanks to a tip-off from Dobby the House Elf.

It was used then as a secret meeting point for Dumbledore’s Army, as Harry attempted to train up a group of his fellow students for the upcoming war with Lord Voldemort.

After making a brief appearance in the previous Fantastic Beasts film, the room takes on vital importance this time around: it’s where Newt, Dumbledore, and co meet before travelling by Portkey to Bhutan as they attempt to stop Grindelwald from becoming chief of the International Confederation of Wizards.

Hogwarts and Hogsmeade

While the Fantastic Beasts saga has taken us to various new locations previously unseen in the Wizarding World – including the German Ministry of Magic – some more familiar places are included as well.

For the second film in a row, there are some key scenes set within the hallowed walls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in this new film, including our first return to the Great Hall since Harry Potter – where Jacob Kowalski has a minor prank played on him by some mischievous young Slytherins.

The film also once again takes us to the village of Hogsmeade, and crucially to the Hog’s Head pub, where Albus’ brother Aberforth is the landlord – a role he still holds during the Harry Potter films.

Harry Potter theme music

James Newton Howard provides the score for The Secrets of Dumbledore – as he did for the two previous Fantastic Beasts films – but he once again folds in John Williams’ iconic original theme at crucial segments.

This is most prominently heard when the action moves to Hogwarts for the first time, something which is sure to evoke a sense of nostalgia in millions of viewers.