For over a decade, Warner Bros. kept “Harry Potter” fans happy with eight films based on the books by J.K. Rowling spread over eleven years. The series was a phenomenon and a huge moneymaker, and it didn’t take long for the studio and author to figure out a way to keep the money rolling in and serve up something new for fans. Five years after “Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows — Part 2,” a prequel series was launched with “Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.” The film made $814 million worldwide proving there’s plenty left in the bank, and with four more movies planned, it’s full steam ahead on the follow-up.
Production has started on the untitled sequel to ‘Fantastic Beasts’ and it’s already drawing plenty of attention, thanks to Johnny Depp returning as Gellert Grindelwald in a central villain role, and Jude Law playing the young Albus Dumbledore. Now, we have an idea of the story that will once again find Eddie Redmayne‘s Newt Scamander in the center of the action, through the official synopsis:
J.K. Rowling wrote the screenplay for the film, which opens in 1927, a few months after Newt helped to unveil and capture the infamous Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. However, as he promised he would, Grindelwald has made a dramatic escape and has been gathering more followers to his cause — elevating wizards above all non-magical beings. The only one who might be able to stop him is the wizard he once called his dearest friend, Albus Dumbledore. But Dumbledore will need help from the wizard who had thwarted Grindelwald once before, his former student Newt Scamander. The adventure reunites Newt with Tina, Queenie and Jacob, but his mission will also test their loyalties as they face new perils in an increasingly dangerous and divided wizarding world.
The film expands the wizarding world, moving from New York to London and on to Paris. There are also some surprising nods to the Harry Potter stories that will delight fans of the books and film series.
Ezra Miller, Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, and Dan Fogler are all back with Zoe Kravitz, Callum Turner, Claudia Kim,William Nadylam, Ingvar Sigurdsson, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, and Kevin Guthrie rounding out the ensemble.
“2 Fantastic Beasts 2 Where To Find Them” opens on November 16, 2018.