Fantastic Tears and Where to Cry Them

Today was a good day. Not because of the weather (Austin think it's June) or because of anything that happened in my life specifically.

It was a good day because J.K. Rowling announced that she is writing something new - her first screenplay - and, most importantly, that that screenplay will be related to the wizarding world of Harry Potter.

Y'all. J.K. Rowling is writing a screenplay about wizards. A film for Warner Bros based around her book-from-within-a-book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and its (fictitious) author Newt Scamander, an almost faceless character within the context of the original series.

Now, there is something that needs to be said here before I start fangirling: I am already kind-of annoyed by certain people's attitudes toward this project, as well as the possible direction I could see the marketing going in. For one thing, some people seem to be looking at the film as something of a cash cow, being created simply as a means for Rowling to earn more money. This is, of course, ridiculous for a number of reasons, all summed up rather nicely here. There are also a fair number of people who seem disinterested in the idea of the film because it doesn't focus on Harry, Ron, and Hermione. A very small part of me understands their disappointment (the film will likely be marketed under the guise of being a "Harry Potter film," which is potentially problematic because Harry Potter is not actually going to be in it at all). But at the same time, I don't. True, this movie is not about Harry Potter himself, but it is about his world. And that's kind-of the beauty of it, isn't it?

Because one of the things I'm most excited about in regards to this FBAWTFT film is the possibilities it brings forth. More than just brand new CGI creatures and possible further explanation of ones we've already met, this movie is going to show us a wizarding world we'll find vaguely familiar, but which we've never really seen. The setting of the film is 1918. It's based in New York City - America! We're going to get to see American wizards and witches! In 1918! Before the reign of Voldemort. During the reign of Grindlewald. It's all new to us. Even if we encounter "familiar characters," as the announcement teased (hello young Dumbledore?), they won't be the focus of the film and they will also be different than we've ever seen them. There's almost nothing to be worried about not coming across right in this film – it's all new and we just have to drink it in.

Continuing on that thought, this film – "the first in a new film series" – provides so much opportunity for expansion of the wizarding world as we already know it. Rowling could pen a screenplay based on Quidditch (she has already written the HP companion book Quidditch Through the Ages). She could write one over Hogwarts: A History (a founders story, y'all. Can you imagine?) Or one about anything from characters mentioned in passing* to ones we've never heard of. It's all very exciting if you're someone like me.

And if you are someone like me, you know what the real best thing about this announcement is – the world of Harry Potter has come back to us. Of course, it never really went anywhere ("The ones who love us never truly leave us" and all that) – we've always had our books, our DVDs, our memories. But this is different. This is the return of being part of something. This is the promise of casting news, of photos from the set, of movie trailers - following something from its beginning to its very end. It's the feeling of anxiety and excitement for hours on opening day, it's dressing up in your best Hogwarts gear, it's sitting in a dark theater at midnight. Things we've hoped for for years now, but never really thought we would get again.

J.K. has come back to us. We have come back to each other.

It's a new dawn for one of the most important things in my life and I can't wait to see where it goes from here.



*I just really want to know more about Luna's mom, ok?