New Fantastic Beasts TV Spot Hints at Hogwarts/Ilvermorny Rivalry

In a new Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them TV spot, Queenie and Newt stay true to their schools. Is there a rivalry between Hogwarts and Ilvermorny?

Newt Scamander’s Excellent Adventure is well on its way to theaters. We’re less than a month away from the film’s worldwide release on November 18th, but the TV spots are still dropping. Generally, these teasers don’t give us too much more to work with than their predecessors. J.K. Rowling’s “Keep the Secrets” campaign seems to apply to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them almost as much as it did to Cursed Child. I, for one, can only hope this movie is leagues more enjoyable than that play. But to each their own.

In any event, the third TV spot recycles a lot of scenes we’ve seen already. The new material doesn’t give any major details away, either. Newt and Tina have their runway walk down. Creatures and objects fly of their own accord. Inspirational music plays. On the whole, this TV spot presents Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them as the ultimate family-friendly action movie. Its PG-13 rating may cast some doubt on that, but anything Harry Potter has to maintain a certain level of “viewers of all ages” appropriateness.

Take a look:

Although we’re already familiar with some of the beasts and a bit of the plot tension, there are some new shots here. We’ve already met Newt’s trusty magical platypus (the scientifically called “Niffler”), the Thunderbird, and the Demiguise, but what we see here are new pieces featuring all three. The Demiguise especially offers new insight, as he’s rummaging through a purse. It seems as though he might have gotten a few tips from his friend the Niffler, a creature known for its proclivity for shiny objects. We learn as much of the Niffler in Goblet of Fire, as well as the printed version of the Fantastic Beasts textbook.

Fantastic as they may be, the beasts don’t hog the limelight in this teaser. There’s some new material regarding the human characters, too. Most notably, this little exchange between Newt Scamander and his future sister-in-law, Quennie Goldstein:

"NEWT: The best wizarding school is Hogwarts.QUEENIE: Hogwash."

I see what you did there, Queenie. I like you already.

Screenshot image via Warner Bros.

We know that Queenie and Tina Goldstein are graduates of the American wizarding school, Ilvermorny. So this little tête-à-tête might suggest a little Hogwarts/Ilvermorny rivalry. Either that, or Newt and Queenie are both big believers in the Beach Boys’ “Be True to Your School” mentality. But it’s more fun to imagine what possible contention between the magical schools might entail.

Perhaps it’s only a rather good-natured school rivalry with no malicious history. I did wonder at first if perhaps Hogwarts and Ilvermorny competed in a past Triwizard Tournament. The dates of the tournament’s initial cancellation (1792)  and Ilvermorny’s expansion (circa 1634) collaborated well enough. Even though neither Newt nor Queenie would have been in school–or, indeed, even been born–at the time, old grudges die hard.

Screenshot image via Warner Bros.

And then, of course, I remembered that the Triwizard Tournament was established as a competition between the three largest schools in Europe. Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang have been the only participants throughout the tournament’s history. So that negates that theory, which is a shame. What other possibilities are there? Well, it might just be your standard America vs. the UK discourse.

It is telling, however, that Newt would be so defensive of Hogwarts when he was expelled from the school. Although his expulsion sounds well-deserved, as he “endanger[ed] human life with a beast,” you’d think he’d still be nursing a sore spot over it. Or, perhaps, he understands the weight of his actions, and accepts the consequences. That sort of attitude will either wrack him with guilt over the events of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, or it will compel him to take responsibility and action. We don’t see enough of Newt in any teaser to know his character for sure, but I’m willing to bet on both. He does say in the final trailer, “I won’t let another one die.” And I think that line might speak for itself.

Next: Are we getting a mobile game about Fantastic Beasts?

Whatever the case may be, we’ll have the details soon enough. November 18th is fast approaching. Get your Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them tickets now.