Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald - 19 Easter Eggs & References Explained

19. Thestrals

Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Thestral
Warner Bros.

The first major Easter egg occurs right at the start of the movie when the Magical Congress of the United States of America is preparing to transport Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) to London for his crime wave across Europe.

The method of transportation for the infamous villain is a pack of winged, skeletal, dragon-horse creatures who fans might recognise as Thestrals, carriage-pullers that have appeared intermittently throughout the Wizarding World franchise (starting with The Order of the Phoenix).

The creatures are famously only visible to those who have witnessed death and are perceived to be an omen for tragedy, which is all too-apt considering Grindelwald's brutal escape mere moments after the journey begins.

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