What streaming service has fantastic beasts the crimes of grindelwald

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Themhas been marred by controversy since 2016 when news of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s divorce first broke the news. When accusations of Depp’s physical abuse toward Heard leaked to the press, it seemed all bets were off for the popular Harry Potter spinoff.

Since then it has been pock-marked by one scandal after another, including a viral video of Ezra Miller allegedly assaulting a fan, which people thought would end Miller’s time as Credence Barebone, and J.K. Rowling publicly denouncing trans rights on several occasions. But somehow the franchise is still standing, albeit on uneven stilts, and on April 15, 2022, we will get yet another installment with Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.

If you’re itching to revisit the previous films then you’re not alone. After all, they’ve been so heavily spaced out due to the aforementioned controversy, but also the COVID-19 pandemic, which massively disrupted all Hollywood productions. Now that the third installment’s release is finally around the corner, it’s time to freshen up on the details we may have forgotten in the last four years.

Where to watch the first two films

Unlike all eight Harry Potter films, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and its sequel The Crimes of Grindelwald are not currently available to stream on HBO Max or Peacock in the U.S. (although Crimes of Grindelwald is available on HBO Max in Latin America). If they wish to freshen up on the happenings of the previous two installments, fans will have to buy their own versions or rent them from YouTube, Apple TV, Vudu, Amazon Prime Video, AMC on Demand, and iTunes for $3.99.

For those who don’t mind tacking on another subscription to their bill, both Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and The Crimes of Grindelwald are currently available to stream on fuboTV and Sling TV.

Maybe one day HBO Max and Peacock will get both films – it wouldn’t come as a surprise – but for now a full Wizarding World movie marathon complete with all eight Harry Potter films and the two Fantastic Beasts films will have to be piecemealed from different streaming platform.

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• "Fantastic Beasts" is a prequel series that expands on the magical world from "Harry Potter."
• The first two "Fantastic Beasts" films are available to stream on HBO Max and Peacock Premium. 
• HBO Max starts at $10/month, while Peacock Premium starts at $5/month.

The world of "Harry Potter" continues to grow with more stories that build on the original books and films. The "Fantastic Beasts" series keeps the franchise going with prequel films set in the 1920s. 

The first two entries of the spin-off series, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald," are available to stream on HBO Max and Peacock. The third entry in the franchise will premiere in theaters on April 15. 

"Fantastic Beasts" colors the world of magic in a way Harry Potter's adventures couldn't by taking us to a time well before "Sorcerer's Stone," far from the dorms of Hogwarts. We follow a different cast in the magical setting of New York City in 1926. When Newt Scamander, a ministry-employed wizard, accidentally frees a group of mythical creatures, he and his companions hustle to clean up the mess. 

Eddie Redmayne stars as Newt Scamander, alongside Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, and Ezra Miller. "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" received a "74% Certified Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" received a lackluster 36% rating. 

Where to watch the 'Fantastic Beasts' movie series

The first two "Fantastic Beasts" movies are available to watch on HBO Max and Peacock Premium. Subscribers to both services can stream "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" right now.

The third film in the franchise, "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore," will hit theaters on April 15 and could premiere on HBO Max by the end of May.

The cheapest way to watch the first two "Fantastic Beasts" movies is with a Peacock Premium subscription. Though Peacock has a free plan, you need the Premium option to unlock both films. Peacock Premium with ads costs $5 a month. Ad-free streaming costs $10 a month.  

You can also watch both "Fantastic Beasts" movies with HBO Max's ad-free ($15/month) or ad-supported ($10/month) plans. If you opt for the pricier ad-free plan, you also get download support and the ability to stream select titles in up to 4K quality. That said, the "Fantastic Beasts" moves are limited to high definition (HD) on HBO Max.

If you'd rather skip the commitment of a streaming subscription, fret not: the "Fantastic Beasts" movies are also available for digital rental and purchase.

Major retailers like Amazon Prime, Apple TV, RedBox, Vudu, iTunes, and Google Play offer each film for about $4 to rent or $10 to buy. For more information on how digital rental works, check out our guide.

4K streaming options are also available on select platforms, like Vudu, iTunes, and Google Play. Buyers who prefer to own discs, can opt to purchase "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" on Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray.

What movies are included in the 'Fantastic Beasts' series?

The "Fantastic Beasts" series currently includes three movies:

• "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" (2016)
• "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" (2018)
• "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" (2022)

As a Tech Deals and Streaming Reporter for Insider's Reviews team, Sarah covers the latest movie and series releases along with the best sales on products we recommend. Prior to joining Insider Inc., she was a Deals Writer at Wirecutter, a New York Times company. After graduating from California State University, Fullerton with a degree in Marketing, Sarah started out as a Freelance Deals Writer at Wirecutter; there she focused on newsletter creation, social media promotion, and syndication in addition to deals writing before stepping into a full-time role. Her accomplishments from this position, in addition to the countless deals she's written, include implementing multiple social media marketing campaigns and launching a Deals Facebook group for the company. Say hi (or send a picture of your pet) to Sarah at , or reach her on Twitter at @sarahhahr or on Instagram at @lord_ponty.  Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more about how we research deals.

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