Fantastic Beasts Sequel Casting Teenage Versions of Leads

More insight into the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them sequel comes today with the news that the film is looking to cast young versions of some of its protagonists.

Pottermore, the official site for all things Harry Potter, tweeted an open casting call from Warner Bros. for young actors to play teenage versions of Newt Scamander, Leta Lestrange, Gellert Grindelwald and Albus Dumbledore, as well a new character named Sebastian.

Fantastic Beasts is looking for five young actors! Find out more about the Warner Bros. open casting call: https://t.co/fU3tq9fFSH pic.twitter.com/nKAvrjj3bb
— Pottermore (@pottermore) June 6, 2017

Jude Law has already been announced to join the cast as a young Dumbledore back when he was a Hogwarts professor, long before becoming headmaster. He will act alongside Johnny Depp, returning as villain Grindelwald. The casting call, which asks for 16 to 18-year-olds for the roles of even younger versions of Dumbledore and Grindelwald, hints that fans will get the backstory behind the complicated relationship between the two characters only touched upon in the books.

The news also gives way to speculation over Newt Scamander’s (Eddie Redmayne) connection to Leta Lestrange, played by Zoë Kravitz, who was mentioned only briefly in the first film. Warner Bros is looking for actors ages 13 to 16 to fill these roles.