Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
Explore a new era of J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World.
In 1926, Newt Scamander arrives at the Magical Congress of the United States of America with a magically expanded briefcase, which houses a number of dangerous creatures and their habitats. When the creatures escape from the briefcase, it sends the American wizarding authorities after Newt, and threatens to strain even further the state of magical and non-magical relations.
| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 16 November 2016 |
| Genre | Fantasy, Adventure |
| Director | David Yates |
| Starring | Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston and Dan Fogler |
| Runtime | 133 min |
| Rated | PG-13 |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 6.8/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 74% · Metacritic 66/100 · TMDB users 7.3/10 |
| Budget | $180 million |
| Box office | $814 million worldwide |
Where to watch Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is streaming on Max ($18.49 a month) in the US. It is also on Peacock ($16.99 a month). If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Peacock is $16.99 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 12 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
What kind of watch this is
David Yates directed this 133-minute fantasy adventure, which is long enough to make you wonder if the briefcase is a metaphor for your own life. Newt Scamander brings a magically expanded briefcase to the Magical Congress of the United States of America in 1926, and immediately loses control of its dangerous inhabitants. The creatures escape, and the American wizarding authorities start hunting the man who packed them. It is a sprawling, slightly messy expedition that trusts its world-building to do the heavy lifting. You are not here for tight plotting. You are here to see what happens when a wizard tries to keep a pet dragon in a briefcase during a business meeting.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes sits at 74% as of March 2024, with an average review score of 6.8/10. Metacritic gives it 66 out of 100 as of February 2025, a tier it labels generally favorable. The numbers suggest a consensus, though the temperature varies wildly. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian called it a rich, baroque, intricately detailed entertainment. David Edelstein of New York Magazine called it a distinctly unmagical slog. The beasts are either paragons of creativity or a distinct lack thereof, depending on whose eyes you borrow.
How it did with audiences
$175 million in production costs, plus $150 million in marketing, against $814 million in worldwide gross. Deadline calculated a $164 million net profit, making it the ninth most profitable release of 2016. The numbers suggest the wizarding world still has plenty of room to grow, even if the marketing bill stings.
What came next for the cast
Eddie Redmayne arrived from The Theory of Everything. Katherine Waterston stepped in from Steve Jobs. Dan Fogler came from The Walking Dead. The credits cannot say this film caused the shifts. They can say what followed. For Redmayne and Waterston, the next major steps were sequels and prestige dramas. For Fogler, it was more sequels and a Bob Dylan biopic.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Read more: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
Sources
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q18199330 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (film)” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
Watch it without paying for the whole year
Binge Boss tracks the movie you are on and tells you which services you need this month, and which you can cancel.
Add Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them to your list