This official 'Fantastic Beasts 2' artwork is spilling with 'Harry Potter' easter eggs
Without spoiling anything, it's safe to say that Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald brings the new franchise in the wizarding world of J.K. Rowling even closer to the Harry Potter universe.
Characters we know and love are being introduced into Fantastic Beasts and fans of the original Harry Potter universe are pining for nuggets of information that tie Fantastic Beasts to the original canon they know and love.
If it's Potter easter eggs you're looking for, you might want to pay extra attention to the artwork — the newspapers; the posters; the adverts – in the The Crimes of Grindelwald. They're full of easter eggs for the attentive moviegoers.
The artwork has been created by a London design studio called MinaLima, and if you've ever seen a Harry Potter film, chances are you'll be familiar with their work.
According to designer Miraphora Mina, their work is important when it comes to tying in Fantastic Beasts with the Harry Potter universe.
"There is a legacy now, and some things you expect as audience," Mina told Mashable. "It’s actually useful because there are protocols we’ve established on Harry Potter, such as how the newspapers function and the sense of humour, which is important as well."
Like in the first instalment of Fantastic Beasts, MinaLima created a series of newspaper front pages to give context to the storyline in the movie — sadly, this time they did not make the final cut of The Crimes of Grindelwald.
However, the papers still hold a number of clues and references that may be familiar to eagle-eyed Potter fans...
This 1927 cover of The Daily Prophet has several worthy headlines, for instance.
Image: Minalima
Is this a distant relative of Fluffy's, on the loose in London?
Image: minalima
Congratulations to the well-known wand maker of Diagon Alley on winning an award.
Image: minalima
The Daily Prophet was throwing shade at Albus Dumbledore even then.
Image: minalima
MinaLima also did a cover for the American wizarding news source, The New York Ghost.
This lesser known American publication also contains some nuggets.
Image: minalima
Look at this subtle nod to the free house elf of our hearts, Dobby. You were not the first free elf, and we're sure you won't be the last.
Image: minalima
Although Wolfsbane potion wouldn't be invented until much later, it's perhaps worth noting the main ingredient found in a No-Maj (or muggle, if you're keeping it British) nursery.
Image: minalima
Obscuruses were of course only introduced into the Wizarding World in the first Fantastic Beasts, but this special report would have been pretty useful before Credence went off, tbh.
Image: minalima
MinaLima created a French wizarding newspaper (the name of which translates into "The Cry of the Gargoyle") for Fantastic Beasts that also holds some nods to the Harry Potter universe.
Image: minalima
Here is a shoutout to our friends at Beauxbatons (who apparently have started dabbing in the art of potion making.)
Image: minalima
And of course the creator of The Philosopher's Stone, Frenchman Nicolas Flamel (who was a real person, BTW) has his own column about the enigmas of alchemy.
Image: minalima
We know that Hogwarts portraits leave their frames from time to time, but apparently the Mona Lisa forgot to return to her frame in The Louvre.
Image: minalima
Finally, one of the most exiting new additions to the wizarding world in The Crimes of Grindelwald is the Maledictus. A Maledictus is, in the words of J.K. Rowling herself, a woman born with a blood curse who can transform into a snake.
The first Maledictus we meet is perhaps the most significant Maledictus in history: Nagini.
The adverts for the Nagini show in the Paris circus were inspired by real life freak show ads from the past, Mina told Mashable.
The caption of the one below reads, "In the flesh" and, "From the depths of the Indonesian jungle."
Image: minalima
An exhibition of the graphic art featured in Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts: the Crimes of Grindelwald is currently showing at House of MinaLima, 26 Greek Street, London.
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