Cameras are officially rolling on the set of the currently untitled second "Fantastic Beasts" film, which is due to release on November 16th 2018. The film will be directed by David Yates, just as the first "Fantastic Beasts" film was, and will feature many characters that fans have already come to love: Newt Scamander (Redmayne), Tina Goldstein (Waterston), Queenie (Sudol), Credence (Miller), and of course, everyone's favorite no-maj, Jacob Kowalski (Fogler). Johnny Depp will reprise his role as the infamous Grindelwald, but fans will also meet some new characters: Jude Law will play a young Albus Dumbledore, and Zoe Kravitz will star as Lita Lestrange.
What's in store for the next film
The official plot synopsis explains that JK Rowling wrote the screenplay for this film, just as she did for the first "Fantastic Beasts" adventure. This second installment will take place in 1927, not long after the first one ended. Grindelwald made his escape and has acquired more followers to work toward his cause. Only Albus Dumbledore, who was once Grindelwald's closest friend, is capable of stopping him once and for all. Dumbledore will need help, though, from the only wizard who has stopped Grindelwald so far -- Newt Scamander. Newt, Tina, Queenie and Jacob are all reunited for this new mission.
This will be the second installment of a planned five "Fantastic Beasts" films, with this one rumored to take place in Paris.
Filming is taking place at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, which is where all of the films from JK Rowling's magical wizarding world have been filmed. In an interview with Louisa Mellor of Den of Geek last year, David Yates was asked about the overall message of the "Fantastic Beasts" films. Not only did Yates direct the first "Fantastic Beasts" film, but he also directed the final four "Harry Potter" films.
Yates said: "It’s a message of tolerance, understanding, a desire to sort of take fear out of relationships and to celebrate Otherness and not to be afraid of the Other...we’re making these big movies that are essentially entertainment, they’re there for a global audience, but they have a fairly positive message buried within them, especially for kids who are growing up now."
The creative team
According to Business Wire, Yates is not the only big name involved in the behind-the-scenes magic of this next "Fantastic Beasts" adventure.
Oscar-winning director of photography Philippe Rousselot, three-time Oscar-winning production designer Stuart Craig, and Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Tim Burke are just some of the other members of the creative team hard at work making this next film as fantastic as it can possibly be.
