The Fantastic Beasts Sequel Is Called The Crimes of Grindelwald
Images via Warner Bros./Pottermore Movies News fantastic beasts
With the sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in the works, official Harry Potter website Pottermore has revealed the title for the film: Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. The character of Gellert Grindelwald was public enemy number one during the era of Albus Dumbledore, briefly appearing in the first film, played by Johnny Depp.
According to Pottermore, the sequel will see Grindelwald escaping custody after his capture at the end of the first film. Eddie Redmayne will return as Newt Scamander, who will be recruited by a young Dumbledore (played by Jude Law). The titular “crimes” of Grindelwald refer to his attempts to spread chaos and “create a wizarding hierarchy to dominate all non-magical beings.”
The title announcement comes with a photo of the cast (included below), which confirms several returning characters. Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol and Dan Fogler return as our other heroes from the first movie, playing Tina Goldstein, Queenie Goldstein and No-Maj Jacob Kowalski, respectively. Other returning characters include Ezra Miller as Credence, a pawn of Grindelwald who appeared to meet his demise at the end of the first film, MACUSA President Seraphina Picquery (Carmen Ejogo) and Scamander’s fiance Leta Lestrange (Zoë Kravitz), whose photo was seen in the first film.
In one year, return to the Wizarding World with Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. #MagicInProgress#FantasticBeastspic.twitter.com/8aWj8xhGj5
— Fantastic Beasts (@FantasticBeasts) November 16, 2017
New cast members include Law, whom we finally see in character in this photo, Callum Turner as Theseus Scamander, and Claudia Kim as an unknown character who is “a ‘Maledictus’: someone who suffers from a ‘blood curse’ that turns them into a beast.” Jessica Williams, formerly of The Daily Show, will also appear in the film, despite not being included in the photo.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald will have director David Yates and screenwriter J.K. Rowling returning. The film, the second of a proposed five, will release one year from today, on Nov. 16, 2018.