Film Bits: ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ Releases First Full Length Trailer; Netflix Wears ‘The Crown’

Return to the World of ‘Harry Potter’ With First Full ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Trailer

The first full trailer for the Harry Potter spinoff, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, was released this morning on The Ellen Show. The highly anticipated prequel returns viewers to the magical world made famous by J.K. Rowling, who wrote the script for the upcoming film. Fantastic Beasts stars Eddie Redmayne (The Danish Girl) as wizard Newt Scarmander, whose textbook, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, was required reading for the students at Hogwarts. The film follows Scarmander on his search for the titular fantastic beasts, which lands him into hot water stateside when the creatures he captured escape in New York City, threatening to reveal the existence of the wizarding world. Colin Farrell (The Lobster) co-stars. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them opens November 18

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Netflix Gets Regal With First Trailer for ‘The Crown’

Netflix unveiled the trailer for their monumental, star studded biopic of Queen Elizabeth II, The Crown, to much acclaim. The new series stars Claire Foy (The Lady in the Van) as a 25-year-old Elizabeth, newly married to Phillip Mountbatten (Matt Smith, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies) as England gets drawn into war. John Lithgow co-stars as Winston Churchill in a series that promises royal intrigue, human drama, and Machiavellian politicking as Elizabeth settles into her role as Queen of Britain. The Crown premieres November 4 on Netflix.

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Annette Bening Charms in First Trailer for ‘2oth Century Women’

From writer/director Mike Mills (The Beginners, Thumbsucker) comes 20^th Century Women, a film that explores a trio of women as they explore the meaning of freedom on their personal searches for happiness and fulfillment. Annette Bening (Danny Collins), Elle Fanning (The Neon Demon), and Greta Gerwig (Maggie’s Plan, Mistress America) star in what looks to be a film that’s funny, poignant, and heartbreaking in equal measures. The film is set to have its initial run starting October 8 at the New York Film Festival before opening to wider audiences in December.

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Jon Favreau to Tackle Another Disney Remake

Swinging off his success on this year’s The Jungle Book, director Jon Favreau announced his next project this morning on social media, another live action remake of another Disney classic, The Lion King. This is the latest in a string of live action remakes from Disney, including next year’s Beauty and the Beast starring Emma Watson. The Lion King has already had some live action success with a Tony Award winning Broadway play, though it seems more likely that Favreau will be playing for a more straight faced adaptation, if his history is any indication.