Pottermore just revealed a wizarding circus in Fantastic Beasts 2, and it has us curious. What role does it have in the story, and how will Newt Scamander come across it?
According to Pottermore, there will be at least two important characters that are involved in a wizarding circus in the sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: “Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Skender, the owner of a wizarding circus and Claudia Kim as one of the circus’s ‘featured attractions.’”
Soon after, artwork made by MinaLima, the designers that created all of the art for Fantastic Beasts and much of the Harry Potter movies, revealed designs originally made for the first Fantastic Beasts film, which give us some exciting new insight into what might be happening in the sequel, and fertile ground for theorizing about what part this wizarding circus — named Circus Arcanus in the artwork — will have in Newt, Tina, Queenie and Jacob’s adventures.
An exciting new setting
A circus will definitely be a memorable part of the wizarding world, given that it’s by nature such a colorful and fascinating place. Add real magic into the mix, and it’s the perfect setting for a great new story. Originally, it was intended to appear in the first Fantastic Beasts movie, but it’s definitely a good thing that it was reserved for the second film, where it could have more space to develop, and give us more time to appreciate it.
So far, the members of the circus seem to be a diverse group. The artwork announces “Curious Persons of All Nations”, and so far we know of an Icelandic-American actor playing the owner, and a South Korean actress playing a performer (although it is possible that they may be playing American characters.) Maybe this is another way we’ll be introduced to more witches and wizards from around the globe.
The titles given to the performers depicted seem pretty fanciful; the kind of names that would be given to ‘magical’ performances in the non-magical world. The name ‘The Enchanting Snake Girl’ points to a possible Parselmouth — will she have some relation to the Gaunts? — while the ‘Hypnotist’ may just be casting an Imperius Curse of some sort (or maybe something less sinister). Perhaps we’ll also see a metamorphmagus make an appearance. But does this circus perform for witches and wizards, and Muggles/No-Majes alike? We’ll have to wait and see.
Human Oddities
MinaLima’s artwork gives the circus a name: “Circus Arcanus — Museum of Human Oddities.” Since the design was originally for the first movie, it’s more than possible that the name and even the entire concept has changed since. But from what Pottermore indicates, it’s clear that the circus will be mainly featuring humans… in what the Muggle world would call a freak show.
Knowing J. K. Rowling, the inclusion of such a controversial topic in the Fantastic Beasts films will not be done carelessly. Freak shows have long been controversial: while they might have been the only space where people born different than others might have found a place in society, they were also made to ridicule and profit from people with unusual physical, mental or behavioral traits. They represent quite a shameful aspect of what circuses once were, and it will be very interesting to see how Rowling imagines them in the wizarding world.
The theme of being different from others, and finding joy and power in those differences, is a very important part of the original Harry Potter series. We also saw much of the same in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, with Newt, Queenie and Credence all dealing with significant differences in their personalities and abilities from those of the people around them.
A “Museum of Human Oddities” would put this theme on full display, and perhaps show us a dark side of the wizarding world that we haven’t seen before. How ‘odd’ do the witches and wizards in this circus have to be to warrant the name? Are they rejected by society? What kind of relationship do they have with wizarding governments, with Muggles/No-Majes, and the wizarding world in general?
And most importantly: are they a resource to Newt and his team of heroes… or to Grindelwald, who seeks to harness magical ability of any kind to secure power?
Newt’s beasts and the circus
As we can see in the artwork, the wizarding circus is performing in New York before heading to Europe. We can only imagine what the original plan for it was — perhaps something to do with Queenie and her incredible Legilimency abilities, or a way for Newt to hide his fantastic beasts? — but it’s very possible that the circus will still be in New York when we first see it, since Pottermore announced that the second Fantastic Beasts movie will take place in Paris, London and New York.
With most of the characters still in America, a travelling circus on its way to Europe may be the perfect vehicle to smuggle two witches and a No-Maj to another country discreetly. It could also be the perfect way for a wizard with a case full of beasts to move around and not be noticed by the authorities. Or, if the circus has magical beasts of its own, Newt might be interested in lending a hand to ensure that the creatures are being kept safely.
Newt’s relationship with his beasts comes from a place of empathy, which is also why he was immediately able to see Credence as a suffering boy, not as a monster or a weapon. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them showed us how his love for beasts and his complicated relationship with human society translate into actually understanding and helping other people. The introduction of other characters who may be rejected from mainstream wizarding society, much like Credence, might be an opportunity for us to see more of Newt’s empathy in action.
As the wizarding world prepares for the biggest danger it’s ever faced, Newt and his friends might find unlikely allies in the people of the circus. Following the theme set by the first Fantastic Beasts movie, this sequel might be yet another opportunity for Rowling to showcase how people who are different, and often misunderstood, can be capable of heroic deeds and ultimately save the day.