The beloved Harry Potter movie franchise bounces back onto the big screen with a big, fantastic return of Dumbledore, Newt, and Grindlewald. But is the 3rd installment Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore too scary for kids? This parent’s guide and review will help you decide if this one is safe and kid-friendly.
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About Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Professor Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) knows the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen) is moving to seize control of the wizarding world.
Unable to stop him alone, he entrusts Magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) to lead an intrepid team of wizards, witches and one brave Muggle baker on a dangerous mission, where they encounter old and new beasts and clash with Grindelwald’s growing legion of followers.
But with the stakes so high, how long can Dumbledore remain on the sidelines?
Watch the Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore trailer here.
Do You Need To Watch The Previous Movies Before The Secrets of Dumbledore?
Yes.
We recommend watching the previous Fantastic Beasts movies before The Secrets of Dumbledore.
You may not need to watch all the Harry Potter movies in order before this one, but the 2 Fantastic Beasts movies would give needed context for the story.
Please note: Johnny Depp has been replaced in this series with Mads Mikkelsen for this 3rd installment.
Is Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore Too Scary For Kids? Parents Guide and Review
Witch or Wizard or Muggle: the Harry Potter movies are blockbuster favorites.
And the 3rd installment of the Fantastic Beasts series is certain to be a hit.
But is Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore too scary for kids?
In this parent’s guide and review, we’re breaking down the language, sex/nudity, gore, and violence that happens in the movie to help you determine if watching Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is safe for kids in your home.
Language: The Secrets of Dumbledore Parents Guide
Language is exceedingly tame in this one.
We only caught a few British slang words such as sod as well as the use of h@ll.
But really, this one is pretty clean when it comes to language or swear words.
Is Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore Ok For Kids? Sex and Nudity
Again, Fantastic Beasts 3 is pretty clean in relation to sex and nudity.
There is a stated romantic relationship between two male characters. They profess they once loved and were committed to each other and it’s clear that this was meant in a romantic way.
There is a kiss and romance between a male and female character that we’ve seen in a relationship before in this series.
Other than those two romantic storylines, there isn’t any additional sex or nudity to worry about in this one.
Violence and Gore In The Secrets of Dumbledore: Is It Too Scary For Kids?
This is where parents may want to consider pre-viewing the movie before taking kids.
The Secrets of Dumbledore has the usual wizarding and sorcery action sequences that include explosions and attacks on people.
There is a lot of fighting with wands and bright explosions in this one.
There are some bloody and gory scenes that could be intense for children. In a dark cave scene, a body is dragged out and then flung back onto a ledge in a gelatinous goo. Twice.
And eww.
Beasts are on the scary end of things in this movie (see below for more).
How Scary Is Fantastic Beasts 3: The Secrets of Dumbledore?
The Fantastic Beasts are back in action!
And this could make The Secrets of Dumbledore too scary for some kids.
We are introduced to new and exciting creatures, but some do attack and kill in grand ways.
Trigger warning for animal deaths in Fantastic Beasts 3
Out of all the movies in the series so far, this one does have the most disturbing scenes when it comes to cute creatures.
Think Bambi’s opening sequence where the mother dies at the hands of a hunter. We see a similar situation in The Secrets of Dumbledore.
One particularly upsetting scene involves the death of another deer-like creature who has its throat slit. The creature’s blood is seen oozing onto the ground.
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore Age Rating
The Secrets of Dumbledore is rated PG-13 for some fantasy action/violence.
Is Fantastic Beasts 3 appropriate for kids under 13?
Can Kids Under The Age Of 10 Watch Secrets of Dumbledore?
If your family is ok with the Harry Potter franchise and your young kids have seen the previous movies, this one may be ok for them.
But in general, we suggest kids 8 and up for watching Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
Younger kids may be ok with this one, but there are some intense and violent scenes that could cause nightmares for sensitive kids.
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Patty Holliday is a parent movie reviewer, writer, and podcaster living in the Washington, DC area. Her goal is to bridge the gap between casual fandom and picky critic with parent movie and television reviews. As a lifelong fangirl and pop culture connoisseur, she’s been creating online since 2009. You can find her work at No-Guilt Disney.com, No-Guilt Fangirl.com, No-Guilt Life, and as host of the top-rated No-Guilt Disney Podcast.