Untitled ''Fantastic Beasts'' sequel

The untitled Fantastic Beasts sequel is an upcoming 2018 British-American fantasy drama film produced by Heyday Films and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is the sequel to the 2016 film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, based on J. K. Rowling's book of the same name. It will serve as the second film instalment in the Fantastic Beasts series, and the tenth overall in J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World, the franchise that began with the Harry Potter series. The film is directed by David Yates, with a script by Rowling, and features an ensemble cast that includes Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, Zoë Kravitz, and Callum Turner.

Principal photography for the film began in July 2017, at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden. The untitled Fantastic Beasts sequel is scheduled to be released on 16 November 2018, in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D.

Premise

The year is 1927; a few months have passed since the events of Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them. Gellert Grindelwald has escaped imprisonment as he promised and has begun gathering followers to his cause—elevating wizards above all non-magical beings. The only one capable of putting a stop to him is the wizard he once called his closest friend, Albus Dumbledore. However, Dumbledore will need to seek help from the wizard who had thwarted Grindelwald once before, his former student Newt Scamander. The adventure reunites Newt with American friends Tina, Queenie and Jacob, but his mission will test their loyalties as they face new perils in an increasingly dangerous and divided wizarding world.^[1]

Cast

• Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander:^[2] A British Ministry of Magic employee in the Beasts Division of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, as well as a self-proclaimed magizoologist. Played a part in remedying the events of a terrorist attack orchestrated on the City of New York in December 1926 by Wizarding warlord Gellert Grindelwald. Porpentina's primary love interest, former criminal and outlaw, and a confidante of Albus Dumbledore. Has been outcast from certain circles of British Wizarding society due to his checkered past.
• Katherine Waterston as Porpentina "Tina" Goldstein:^[3] A MACUSA Auror who collaborates heavily with the Major Investigations Department. Played a role in thwarting Gellert Grindelwald during the Obscurus incident of 1926, which she was scapegoated for. Former criminal and outlaw, along with Newt, for breaking the Statute of Secrecy. Newt's love interest.
• Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski:^[3] A No-Maj World War I veteran and current business owner, primary love interest to Queenie Goldstein before having his memory wiped after the events of the attack on New York.
• Alison Sudol as Queenie Goldstein:^[3] The pretty and vivacious younger sister of Tina, who worked alongside her in the Federal Wand Permit Bureau while Tina was demoted for violently attacking Second Salem Priestess and religious leader Mary-Lou Barebone. Primary love interest to Jacob Kowalski, who she still shows interest in despite him being Obliviated and the illegality of their relationship. Also a powerful Legilimens.
• Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone:^[4] The disturbed adopted child of Mary-Lou Barebone, violently abused and downtrodden, killed No-Maj Senator Henry Shaw Jr, as well as his adopted mother and his adopted sister Chastity. Through the encouragement of a clandestine Grindelwald, disguised as Percival Graves of the Department of Magical Security, sets his Obscurus parasite loose on the City of New York in a rage, causing death and destruction, eventually being (apparently) destroyed/killed by MACUSA Military officials. He has been said to return in a "mysterious way" and will have a growing role in the films.
• Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald:^[5][6] Dark wizard, commits violent attacks throughout Europe and causes mass chaos in the US, seeks to swell his forces and lead a New Wizarding Order with a strong belief in wizarding superiority. Escapes from MACUSA custody. Has shared a long, deep, and mysterious relationship with Albus Dumbledore since childhood, until tragedy struck.
• Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore:^[7][3] An extremely influential and powerful wizard in the British wizarding Community, known in the British Ministry of Magic and throughout the wider wizarding world for his academic excellence, current professor of Transfiguration at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Has a long lasting and mysterious relationship with the Dark wizard Grindelwald, that ended on a tragic note. Strong ally of Newt Scamander's, called to resist Grindelwald's reign of terror.
• Zoë Kravitz as Leta Lestrange:^[8] A damaged and confused young woman who still exerts a large amount of control over Newt, who was at one time in love with her, and possibly still is. Risked the life of a student at school, responsible for the outcasting of Newt from some circles of British wizarding society after he took the blame for a misdemeanor of hers. From a historically wealthy and pureblood family famous for the Dark Arts.
• Callum Turner as Theseus Scamander:^[9] Involved in the Auror Office of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, fought in World War I alongside his brother, described as a "war hero". Older brother of Newt Scamander. The two share a tentatively warm relationship, slightly marred by the fact that the two can't quite understand each other. Has spent the year hunting Grindelwald with a team of British Aurors.
• Claudia Kim:^[1] The main attraction of a wizarding circus and freakshow.
• Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Skender:^[1] The head of a wizarding circus and freakshow.
• Ingvar Eggert Sigurdsson as Grimmson:^[1] A powerful bounty hunter.
• William Nadylam as Yusuf Kama:^[1] A wizard.
• Kevin Guthrie as Mr. Abernathy:^[1] A person of authority, primarily in the Federal Wand Permit Bureau, at MACUSA.

Production

Development

In October 2014, Warner Bros. Pictures announced the film as "at least" a trilogy with the first installment set to be released on 18 November 2016 followed by the second installment on 16 November 2018 and the third installment on 20 November 2020. David Yates was confirmed to direct at least the first installment of the series.^[10][11]

In July 2016, Yates confirmed that J. K. Rowling had written the screenplay for the second film and had ideas for the third.^[12] Yates talked to Entertainment Weekly about the second film, saying "we've seen the script for Part 2, for the second movie, which takes the story in a whole new direction – as you should, you don’t want to repeat yourself. The second movie introduces new characters as she builds this part of the Harry Potter universe further. It's a very interesting development from where we start out. The work is pouring out of her."^[13] In October 2016, it was reported that the Fantastic Beasts film series would comprise five films, with the second film setting in another global capital city, and Eddie Redmayne would be returning to all films to play the lead role of Newt Scamander.^[2] Yates would also return to direct the sequel with producers Rowling, David Heyman, Steve Kloves, and Lionel Wigram.^[2]

Pre-production

Zoë Kravitz was expected to return in the sequel for a "meatier" role after playing a small role in the first film.^[8] On 1 November 2016, Deadline.com reported that Johnny Depp had joined the film for an unspecified role in the film, which was later revealed to be Gellert Grindelwald, for which he also filmed a small role in the first film but would play a larger role in the sequel.^[5][6] Director Yates revealed that character Albus Dumbledore would be back in the film but it would be played by a younger actor, not Michael Gambon, and he also revealed that the second film would be set in UK and Paris.^[6] A number of big name actors, including Christian Bale, Benedict Cumberbatch, Mark Strong, and Jared Harris were considered for the role.^[14] Later, Yates revealed that he would be directing all five films, stating "I love making films, and I've got a great team, all of whom are like family."^[15] James Newton Howard revealed in an interview with Forbes that he would be returning to compose the score for the sequel.^[16]

In January 2017, it was reported that Ezra Miller was getting ready to shoot the sequel, which confirmed that he would be returning as Credence Barebone.^[4] In April, it was confirmed that Jude Law had been cast for the role of Albus Dumbledore at around the time he was the Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts.^[7] On 21 April 2017, Callum Turner joined the cast as Newt Scamander's older brother, Theseus.^[9] On 3 July 2017, the start of principal production, the rest of the cast which included Claudia Kim, William Nadylam, Ingvar Sigurdsson, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, and Kevin Guthrie, as well as a plot synopsis, was revealed.^[1]

Filming

Principal photography began on 3 July 2017, at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden.^[1][17]

Music

James Newton Howard confirmed in November 2016 that he would return to compose the music for the sequel.^[18]

Release

The film is scheduled to be released by Warner Bros. Pictures on 16 November 2018.^[19] The film will get an IMAX, IMAX 3D, and 2D release.^[20]

References

External links

• Untitled Fantastic Beasts sequel on IMDb