The Wizarding World has remained a vital part of pop culture for decades, and is showing no signs of slowing down. On the big screen, the universe of the Harry Potter movies continues to expanded with the Fantastic Beasts movies. Now one star of The Secrets of Dumbeldore has defended the Crimes of Grindelwald’s most controversial twist.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald seriously raised the stakes on the burgeoning franchise, and featured the beginnings of a magical war. One of the most depressing twists saw Alison Sudol’s Queenie turn to the dark side, leaving her sister and lover behind. While some fans took umbrage with this plot point, Sudol recently defended her character’s story during an interview with Digital Spy. She explained her perspective, saying:
If you follow through the film, and you really think about it, she was in one unfortunate circumstance after another because of the way that the Wizarding World operates and the prejudice. Really, all she wants to do is just be with the person she loves, and the narrow-mindedness of the world she lives in puts her into a really vulnerable position where somebody that's really manipulative can tell her what she wants to hear. That's going to have an impact.
There you have it. While there’s been some discussion about Queenie’s choice at the end of Fantastic Beasts 2, Alison Sudol definitely unerstands her magical character’s choices. Queenie hasn’t had an easy time in the Wizarding World, and things went from bad to worse when Grindelwald exploited her feelings and validated her natural gifts.
Alison Sudol’s comments do highlight the emotional journey that her signature character has already had throughout the Fantastic Beasts franchise. Her psychic abilities have made her an outcast in the magical world, and her love for a muggle only further drew her to Grindelwald’s dark promises. Queenie will do anything to finally belong, and that includes using her powers for a new dark master.
The importance of Queenie’s powers as a Legilimens will seemingly be a major factor in the character’s story in Fantastic Beast: The Secrets of Dumbledore and beyond. After all, psychic powers are a strong weapon in the hands of Mads Mikkelsen’s villain. In the same interview Alison Sudol spoke to that point in the threequel, saying:
She's also being utilized for this tremendous power that she has that she's either had to hide in the past, or she's been made to feel guilty about. There is something interesting about that, about a person who hasn't actually been able to live fully as who they are. I think a lot of young women can relate to that as well of what happens when somebody sees that thing in you, that burning part of you that nobody else sees.She's in a tricky, interesting position. We don't really know where she's going to go and who she is and how she's going to move forward.
Suddenly Queenie is one of the characters I’m most excited to catch up with in Fantastic Beasts 3. Her story is a complicated one, which seems to be a theme in J.K. Rowling’s prequel series. Just look at the handling of Nagini or the huge twist surrounding Ezra Miller’s Credence. Plus we’re learning more and more about Jude Law’s Dumbledore.
Luckily the wait for Fantastic Beasts’ highly anticipated threequel is nearly upon us. Early screenings have started rolling out, and smart money says that the cast of characters will once again be changed in David Yates’ blockbuster.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is currently expected to hit theaters on April 15th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie expeience.
