The latest (and final?) trailer for Fantastic Beasts: the Secrets of Dumbledore is here! Overall the trailer is very Dumbledore-and Grindelwald-focused and we are here to pick it apart, scene by scene! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they discuss that interesting Michael Gambon cameo, long-haired Credence, Jacob’s wand, Dark Queenie, new locations, mysterious writings, and more. Plus, is Theseus in trouble? Do we know some of the “new” beasts? And did Bunty get a promotion? Listen now!

• First, we stand with the people of Ukraine and encourage everyone to keep an eye on the news coming out of the country.
• It’s time to talk about the new Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore trailer! This time the hosts will all be on the same page… YouTube page, that is! We use this video when referencing all timestamps during our discussion.
• Laura is optimistic that the Michael Gambon Pensieve appearance foreshadows memory being a crucial part of the plot for this film…
• …and Eric thinks it’s another desperate attempt to market the film to old-school Potter fans. Fan-service, if you will!
• The Blood Pact is shown prominently and the hosts discuss similarities with the Unbreakable Vow in visual style.
• Is that McGonagall visiting Dumbledore at the Hog’s Head?!
• Grindelwald declares war, Credence has longer hair, and Eulally Hicks apparates around Jacob’s shop — and we love it.
• An important title card which has been missing from some marketing materials is back in the trailer, and the hosts discuss.
• What is with this mysterious message on the back of Aberforth’s bar? We use our Wordle experience to try and figure it out.
• Are Albus and Gellert meeting in person? Is this an Applebees? Or merely a memory?
• Micah thinks he can identify several of the beasts shown throughout the trailer, and Theseus does some interesting magic.
• Is Theseus doomed? Some sleuthing reveals it may be his tie and wand that are shown with Teddy and Pickett.
• Is Tina Polyjuiced into someone else, like Bunty? Does that explain why Katherine Waterston is missing from all promotional material in this film?
• The Deluminator is back! And who’s that group resting on the stairs at the theorized end of the movie?
• Next week, we’ll be reading YOUR submissions on theories and trailer thoughts. Be sure to send us an e-mail or voicemail using our regular channels for inclusion on the show!
• This week’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp online therapy. Get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast

Download now

This week we’re talking about black characters as well as people of color in the core Harry Potter books, the movie adaptations of those books, and the media that has come out since! Joining us as our honored guest is the amazing Adriana Redding, who led Hufflepuff Team to victory on Harry Potter: Tournament of Houses! Together she, Andrew, Eric and Laura discuss the reasons why black characters are so few and far between, and what their diversity hopes are for future releases set in the Wizarding World.

• Our guest Adriana Redding talks about her time on Harry Potter: Tournament of Houses as well as black representation in the Harry Potter series!
• Adriana recounts how she got into Harry Potter a bit later than others, and how this affected her take on diversity in the series.
• The panel discuss the importance of seeing somebody like yourself in the stories you consume.
• Was the statistical diversity of England and Wales in the 1990’s a factor in the lack of black and POC characters in Harry Potter? We explain why this excuse doesn’t hold water.
• Dean Thomas’ backstory was omitted by the author in favor of Neville’s, but old writing exists describing what it would have been. We analyze it.
• Did you know two black actresses played Lavender Brown in COS and POA? The third actress to play her was white… and she’s the one who had lines and got to date Ron in Movie 6.
• We discuss the gradual increase in diversity since the films wrapped up, including a black MACUSA President, Hermione in The Cursed Child, and more.
• Adriana details a recent trip to the Wizarding World theme park, and asks the hosts what their ideal hope is for future installments of Potter.
• Eric can’t resist the urge to quiz Adriana on last week’s Quizzitch Question, on the spot, and she does pretty well!
• Quizzitch: How many Quidditch matches does Lee Jordan commentate that Harry participates in, in the books?  Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is sponsored by AMC Shudder (Go to Shudder.com and use code ‘mugglecast’ for 30 days free!) and Indeed (Go to Indeed.com/mugglecast to claim your $75 credit before March 31st).

Download now
OR, now read the Episode 551 Transcript!

Our mailbag is overflowing with feedback from our recent Snape and Lily episode, and people want to talk about Jacob in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts film. We hear from another one of our youngest fans, and even dig up a classic e-mail from 2006. All on this latest milestone episode of MuggleCast!

Important Note: Next week, we’re celebrating Black History Month by talking about how the books handle representation. If you’re a listener of color and have feedback on this topic, please send us your owls!

• Previously unseen photos of Ariana Dumbledore have leaked online, and Andrew and Micah did an IG Live about it. View that now on our Instagram.
• Last week, Eric attended Albion School, a live action roleplay, and had a blast.
• The results of our listener house survey are in! Find out what Hogwarts house the majority of our listeners are in! (It’s very close, but not as close as O.G. Pottermore said they were.)
• Voicemails kick off from an Aquarius listener who brings even more insight into Lily’s character from her horoscope.
• More voicemails cover bagel flavorings of the 1930’s, Narcissa’s love for Draco (What if Harry had told Narcissa that Draco was dead?), and something misunderstood about Harry Potter.
• Two listeners e-mail us with theories on how Jacob remembered Queenie, and whether his account of it to Newt can be trusted.
• Is Draco’s future wife linked to Nagini? And could Jacob’s wand help get him in to wizarding spaces?
• Is Cursed Child and other Potter missteps giving outside spectators a very bad impression of the Harry Potter franchise on a whole?
• What memory does Snape use to summon a Patronus? And why exactly did Lily choose James?
• In an email from 2006, one listener guesses at what Dumbledore is really seeing when he takes Riddle’s potion.
• Chicken Soup for the MuggleCast soul returns and this time it’s from a teenager who found us last year.
• Quizzitch: What two solutions does Hermione offer Ron to help it stop raining in Yaxley’s office?  Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is sponsored by MasterClass (go to Masterclass.com/mugglecast for 15% off an annual membership) and BetterHelp  (go to BetterHelp.com/mugglecast for 10% off your first month)

Download now

It’s our annual Valentine’s Day episode and this year we’re switching things up to talk about the female friendships in the Harry Potter series!  So… Happy GALENTINE’s Day! Hermione & Ginny, Ginny & Luna, and Lavender & Parvati are just a few of the pairings we dive deep into! Also, don’t miss our Top 7 Moments Male Characters Were Emotionally Vulnerable! Next week, we’re opening up our Muggle Mail bag, so don’t forget to send us your owls!

• Don’t forget to follow us on our new TikTok!
• It’s Galentine’s Day and we talk about the importance of female friendships in the Harry Potter series!
• Hermione and Ginny: are they best friends?
• Why are the two so mean towards Fleur?
• Sisterhood in Friendship: Ginny and Luna
• Why did these two characters bond so closely with each other?
• Support and Compassion: Lavender and Parvati & Tonks and Molly
• The Top 7 Moments Male Characters Were Emotionally Vulnerable in Harry Potter
• Harry, Ron, Draco, Hagrid, Dumbledore, Sirius and Dudley all make the list!
• Quizzitch: In Deathly Hallows, where are the trio camping while Ron leaves?  Submit your answer!
• Eric and Micah appeared on the most recent episode of SpeakBeasty, talking about the character pairings in the latest Secrets of Dumbledore trailer – check it out!
• This week’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (Go to BetterHelp.com/mugglecast for 10% off your first month) and MeUndies (get 25% off Matching Pairs for Valentine’s Day, 15% off your first order, and free shipping at MeUndies.com/MuggleCast ).

Download now
OR, now read the Episode 549 Transcript!

After the Potter series proved to be successful, there was the Twilight Series. Next came The Hunger Games. And then came Divergent! Each series was marketed as “the NEXT Harry Potter.” But, they weren’t really as successful as Harry Potter at all! On this special episode of MuggleCast, the hosts dive deep into what makes the tale of a boy wizard so enduring, and how the other series just didn’t measure up in terms of financial success OR staying-power. We also compare HP to Star Wars and discuss what the two series have in common. It’s another great episode this week, be sure to listen at your leisure!

• MuggleCast is now on TikTok with the username @MuggleCast! Be sure to follow us there and enjoy all the fun content we’ve got coming.
• This week’s Main Discussion: Why the so-called “Next Harry Potter” hasn’t happened yet.
• Andrew, Eric, Laura and Micah discuss what made Harry Potter so special. From the story beats to the complexity of the mystery, we dive deep into what we love and what inevitably translated to the publishers’ bottom line.
• Strong themes in the HP series? We think we spot a few that hit home! And being rewarded for catching references and foreshadowing really felt like a present to us as readers.
• HP fans were feverish for new Harry! That’s just something that cannot be said about some other series.
• The hosts talk Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. Andrew and Laura even had a Twilight podcast back in the day!
• Were The Hunger Games and the Divergent series simply too dystopian for readers to love?
• Another example of a franchise that may live forever is Star Wars. What do that and HP have in common from a storytelling perspective?
• Did Star Wars’ opening up its canon to multiple creators allow it to flourish, and what lessons can Warner Bros. learn there regarding HP?
• The hosts compare the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and wonder aloud if “the next Harry Potter” will even be a book at all.
• Finally, are older Millennials going to be the ones to spot the next HP, or will the younger generation determine what the next candidate is?
• Quizzitch: In Divergent, the hero Tris is eligible to join 3 factions. Which faction does she join, and for bonus points, what are the 3 she has to choose from?  Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is sponsored by BetterHelp (Go to BetterHelp.com/mugglecast for 10% off your first month) and HelloFresh (Get up to 16 free meals by going to HelloFresh.com/muggle16 and using code muggle16)

Download now OR, now read the Episode 548 Transcript!

In light of Snape and Lily both being born in January, this week we’re analyzing the rise and fall of the relationship between the two characters! What did Lily initially see in Snape? Should she have given him another chance? And just how creepy is Snape’s life-long commitment to Lily? Then, we unveil the Top 7 pickup lines Snape used on Lily… no wonder things didn’t work out!

• Welcome back to our guest host and HP super-fan, Irvin!
• Irvin’s book on Dumbledore titled Dumbledore: The Life and Lies is available now wherever books are sold!
• MuggleCast is now on TikTok, aka Laura’s favorite app. Subscribe to us at @mugglecastpod
• Our 2022 Patreon perks have been announced! The new MuggleCast Collector’s Club and Fandom Lookback features are sure to thrill all who subscribe to our Patreon.
• Our main discussion this week is on Lily Potter and Severus Snape, and their relationship throughout the series.
• Both Lily and Severus are born in January! But, they have different star signs. What in their zodiac aligns with their lives as they lived them?
• At what point in their lives did Lily and Snape’s relationship go south?
• When does Snape’s tragic home life cease to be a valid excuse for his Dark Arts tendencies?
• Did Lily even TRY to sway Snape towards the light? And what would that have looked like?
• How much of Snape is nature vs. nurture?
• What does Snape having Lily’s Patronus say about him? And, similarly, why is his love for Lily unhealthy or one-sided?
• The MuggleCast hosts read aloud the Top 7 Pickup Lines that Snape Definitely Used on Lily.
• Quizzitch: For a chance at winning one of 5 copies of Irvin’s book, what are the names of Snape’s parents?  Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is sponsored by MeUndies (Get 25% off Matching Pairs, 15% off your first order, free shipping, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee at MeUndies.com/mugglecast) and Warby Parker (Try 5 pairs of glasses at home for free at WarbyParker.com/mugglecast)

Download now OR, now read the Episode 547 Transcript!

With just three months to go until the release of Secrets of Dumbledore, we continue our Fantastic Beasts character discussions with Jacob Kowalski!  The heart of the Fantastic Beasts series is a true, loyal friend and partner. But what does the future hold for him? Slipping on a strudel? Getting lost in Newt’s suitcase? Don’t miss our Top 10 Ways in Which Jacob Kowalski WILL DIE! And next week we explore the loving/semi-toxic relationship between Lily Potter and Severus Snape, so send us your feedback!

• Welcome Slug Club member, Roshni!
• Coming this October… the Illustrated Edition of Order of the Phoenix by Jim Kay!
• Did you buy your Harry Potter eBooks from Pottermore back in the day? Make sure you have your digital copies downloaded! Here’s why
• Fantastic Beasts Character Discussion: Jacob Kowalski
• If you missed our first deep dive on Jacob, check out Episode 319!
• How does Jacob humanize his fellow wizards?
• Why introduce a Muggle as one of the core four?
• Is Jacob the stereotypical fat, funny guy who is the comic relief of the series?
• What happened to Jacob between the first two films?
• Did Jacob’s memory return too quickly?
• If Queenie and Jacob had gotten legitimately married in England and then moved back to America, would she have been put in jail?
• How does Newt’s character and attitude change when Jacob is around?
• EVERYTHING is WRONG with Nicolas Flamel
• What do the hosts make of Jacob’s reaction to Grindelwald’s rally, especially his “another war” line?
• What does the future look like for Jacob? Will he be a sacrificial lamb? What does he bring to the table that the rest of the team will need in Secrets of Dumbledore?
• Top 10 Ways in Which Jacob Kowalski WILL DIE
• Quizzitch: What was the name of Jacob Kowalski’s former fiancee? Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by Indeed (get a $75 credit) and BetterHelp (get 10% off your first month)!

Download now

We open up our Muggle Mail bag for the first time in 2022, as we take listener feedback on  the Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts reunion special! You wont want to miss our Top 10 Outtakes That We Don’t Know For Sure Happened During the Reunion But They Totally Did! Plus, did Andrew predict Jacob getting a wand five years ago?!? And speaking of Jacob, next week we return to our Fantastic Beasts character discussions, so send us your feedback!

• What did we miss during our Reunion Special episode? Where was Steve Kloves? Why did Emma Roberts make a cameo? Can Warner Bros. tell the Phelps twins apart?
• MuggleCast’s Top 10 Outtakes That We Don’t Know For Sure Happened During the Reunion But They Totally Did
• Muggle Mail, Muggle Mail, Muggle Mail! Listeners sound off on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram on everything from Tom Felton and Emma Watson to Dan Radcliffe and Helena Bonham Carter!
• Voicemails cover Michael Gambon, Robbie Coltrane and the In Memoriam
• Andrew predicted Jacob having a wand on Episode 311… and we have the proof!
• One listener convinces us we ARE headed to Rio in Secrets of Dumbledore
• Could Jacob be in possession of the Elder Wand?
• 2006 Throwback Email: Did Nicolas Flamel and Dumbledore swap places?
• Quizzitch: This Phelps twin, who plays Fred, in real life has a scar on his left eyebrow. Name the Phelps twin. Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp (get 10% off your first month) and MasterClass (get 15% off an annual membership)!

Download now

MuggleCast excitedly kicks off the year 2022 with their review of the brand new Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts reunion special! Join Andrew, Eric, Micah and Laura as they go “chapter-by-chapter” on the 100 minute show and discuss the highs and lows, cast members who were noticeably absent, and how the reunion special did or didn’t meet their expectations. We also have a mail-bag show next week, so be sure to send us YOUR thoughts on the special!

• 2022 started off with a brand new Reunion Special, looking back on the making of all 8 films and featuring the cast including Dan, Rupert and Emma
• Harry Potter Reunion Special First Impressions: did it satisfy our craving? Did it make us cry? (Spoiler alert: yes, it did.)
• Andrew found the beginning to be a little clunky, and the fact that Rupert, Dan and Emma were not physically all in the same space was ultimately a missed opportunity.
• Laura thinks the special would have benefitted from having a dedicated host to guide us through the many different interviews and set a more static tone for the special.
• Micah wanted to see more groups together and would have expected a higher focus on the first film, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary and not the others.
• Eric wanted more Ian Hart! They brought him in for a whole day and he only appears in the last 5 minutes of the show? Release the Snyder Cut of Back to Hogwarts, you cowards!
• We all appreciate getting to hear from all 4 directors who helmed the Potter films.
• Dan Radcliffe’s chat with Chris Columbus and some archival footage of the young trio warmed all of our hearts, multiple times.
• Hearing Alfonso Cuarón discuss Prisoner of Azkaban changed Micah’s mind on the film! Eric is not so cheaply bought… but admits that Cuarón clearly really cares and that his take on Harry’s adolescence is valid.
• Dan Radcliffe and Gary Oldman’s chat shows that they truly mean a lot to one another and is great to see.
• After seeing Mike Newell wrestle with the Phelps Twins and break some of his own ribs while doing so, everything we’ve ever wondered about why the Goblet of Fire movie is the way it is makes perfect sense.
• The trio talking teenage hormones reignites the spark of all of our ships, including Emma and Tom who CLEARLY HAVE SOMETHING GOING ON…
• …but perhaps not as much as Dan and Helena Bonham Carter! That steamy handwritten note, wowza…
• The hosts lament the exclusion of a Sirius/Bellatrix duel that was evidently filmed, and recount other surprising times during this special where an actor says something shocking which paints director choices in a questionable light.
• Evanna Lynch appears with an inspirational message for the outsiders in all of us.
• The cast discussing their on-screen kisses is very popcorn worthy, even if the kisses themselves weren’t all so.
• The In Memoriam segment touches us all as we reflect on cast members who are no longer with us, and the nice things said about them in this special.
• RIP also to Millie the hamster. We never knew ye before!
• The special ends back at the beginning, with footage of the 11-year-old trio, and lots of emotional admissions from the actors about each other and the films’ legacy.
• The hosts discuss JK Rowling’s appearance in archived footage and what mystery still remains about her involvement in this special.
• Quizzitch: What is the name of Rupert Grint’s child? Submit your answer!
• Finally, Eric and Micah played Fandom Feud last week, with fellow members of HP Fandom to benefit trans-supportive charities. Check out the whole video of both games they played over on YouTube !

Download now

On this week’s episode, we preview the forthcoming Harry Potter Reunion Special, dive deeper into The Secrets of Dumbledore trailer, take listener feedback on just what in the world Jacob is doing with a wand and look ahead to 2022! Plus, a bonus MuggleCast you won’t want to miss – just what goes down at a Hogwarts Holiday staff party!

• Another year, gone (in your best Dumbledore voice)!
• We discuss the upcoming Harry Potter Reunion Special. The trailer was supposed to be released last week prior to our recording, but never appeared. It was eventually released Monday, December 20th.
• Rumors abound about a member of the trio not being present for the reunion!
• Don’t forget, we’ll be recording our first MuggleCast of 2022 following the airing of the reunion on HBO MAX!
• We return to analyzing The Secrets of Dumbledore Trailer now that we’ve had more time with it
• Look close… can you see Ariana?
• Dumbledore is in New York City! What brings him there?
• Could the portkey in the Room of Requirement be a Tibetan Prayer Wheel?
• Rise Great Avenger! Laura calls out some very watery phoenix imagery behind the title card!
• Listener feedback covers all things Jacob!
• Did Dumbledore enchant Jacob’s want to work only in times of need?
• Was Jacob expelled from Ilvermorny? Could he be a late bloomer?
• Does Jacob get a wand because, well, it would just be too dangerous for him NOT to have one?
• Could Credence hold the secret to destroying the blood pact?
• What do we have to look forward to in the wizarding world in 2022?
• Quizzitch: What is the street address for Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes in the books? Submit your answer!
• This week’s episode is brought to you by BetterHelp (get 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/mugglecast)!
• Coming up  on Bonus MuggleCast (available on Patreon), the hosts discuss just what goes down at a Hogwarts Holiday Staff Party (Warning: This might not be suitable for younger audiences)!

Download now