Warner Bros. has announced the full title for next fall’s sequel to J.K. Rowling’s post-Harry Potter film franchise: “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindewald.”
The new movie, directed by David Yates, is due to open on Nov. 16, 2018.
Eddie Redmayne returns as the magic zoologist Newt Scamander, this time charged with chasing down the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (played by Johnny Depp at the very end of the first film).
Grindewald had been captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America) but escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.
The film, a prequel to the eight-part Harry Potter franchise, also marks the return of beloved future Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law), who enlists his former student Newt to chase down Grindewald.
The cast also includes Ezra Miller, Katherine Waterston, Zoe Kravitz, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol as well as newcomers Claudia Kim and Callum Turner.
Rowling wrote the screenplay, and produced along with David Heyman, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram.
The studio also shared a sneak peek of the cast.
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The original “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” grossed $814 million worldwide after opening in November 2016.
“The Crimes of Grindewald” is the first in what is expected to be another five films following Redmayne’s character.