With the release date just over a month away, Warner Bros. really seems to be ramping up their marketing campaign for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and earlier this morning, the debuted a second batch of magical character posters featuring the principal cast banding together to bring down the notorious Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp).
Additionally, Johnny Depp has confirmed, in a recent interview with Collider, that he will indeed return for Fantastic Beasts 3, which he reveals will begin filming in the middle of next year. When asked about his experience playing one of the most infamous characters in Harry Potter lore, he explained to them, in great detail, his journey from being offered the role to bringing the notorious wizard to life in the upcoming sequel.
It was amazing. It came out of nowhere. Someone said J.K. Rowling would like to talk to me. I spoke to a few producers and the director and to J.K. and had long conversations basically about the Grindelwald character. J.K. said something I did not expect to hear because obviously her detail to her characters and those wizarding worlds is astonishing. The fact that she said, “I can’t wait to see what you do with the character.” Just to hand it off to me with that degree of trust, I was really touched, blown away by that. So I jumped into locating the character and I had my ideas. I came in and it all seemed to work out. Grindelwald is an interesting character. His intentions in his mind are for the greater good, but there have been other people in world politics and such who felt the same way. [chuckles] He’s very dedicated to his beliefs. He’s not a fun character; he’s not funny.
Did you enjoy playing him?
I loved it yeah. I loved it because that’s really an arena where you can fly around and try different things and approach a character with a lot more…um…to take someone who is teetering on being a fascist, yeah he’s a fascist, he’s one of those, but to play him as a sensitive, concerned yet manipulative and powerful wizard. The possibilities in that world are wide open, so you can really try anything. So it was a gas and I look forward to the next installment, which I think we start the middle of next year.
The projected production timeline makes sense considering that WB has already dated the sequel for a November 20, 2020 release date. The potential Summer 2019 start date for Fantastic Beasts 3 would also give Ezra Miller (granted Credence survives) an ample amount of time to film his long-gestating superhero adventure, The Flash, which is slated to commence production in February of next year.
Don't forget to check out the five new posters and remember, to view every poster at once, simply click on the VIEW LIST (ONE PAGE) button below!
The first poster features young Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) and Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), who are working together to take down the infamous Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp). However, as the trailers have revealed, it'll be Scamander that does much of the heavy lifting as Dumbledore is unable to face his former best friend for reasons unknown.
After the closing moments of
Fantastic Beasts and Where You Can Find Them saw Queenie (Alison Sudol) pay Jacob (Dan Fogler) a visit, it looks like their relationship will indeed continue to blossom in the upcoming sequel.
However, before you get your hopes up,
Pottermore does note that neither has been seen together in any of the trailers, so could J.K. Rowling have something else planned for the lovebirds?
The sequel will also formally introduce Newt's brother Theseus Scamander (Callum Turner) and future sister-in-law/former flame Leta Lestrange (Zoë Kravitz), who will both join the fight against Grindelwald (Johnny Depp), although based on the future history of Leta's surname, it should be interesting to see where her allegiances truly lie.
The Obscurial Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller) is back and has seemingly gotten a grasp on his wizarding abilities. While the trailers and past posters have depicted him alongside Nagini (Claudia Kim), here we see him pictured with his former mentor and the man of the hour, Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp).
Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) is also back and this time, she's joined by Yusuf Kama (William Nadylam), a French-African wizard who is on a mission to track down Credence (Ezra Miller). Her latest adventure will also put her on a collision course with her future husband, Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), who's on his own mission to find and stop Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp).
At the end of the first film, the powerful dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander. But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise wizards and witches up to rule over all non-magical beings.
In an effort to thwart Grindelwald's plans, Albus Dumbledore enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald features:
Director: David Yates
Eddie Redmayne as Newton "Newt" Scamander
Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore
Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald
Katherine Waterston as Porpentina "Tina" Goldstein
Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski
Alison Sudol as Queenie Goldstein
Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone
Zoë Kravitz as Leta Lestrange
Callum Turner as Theseus Scamander
Claudia Kim as Nagini
William Nadylam as Yusuf Kama
Carmen Ejogo as Seraphina Picquery
Kevin Guthrie as Abernathy
Poppy Corby-Tuech as Vinda Rosier
Ólafur Darri Ólafsson as Skender
Brontis Jodorowsky as Nicolas Flamel
Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson as Grimmson
David Sakurai as Krall
Derek Riddell as Torquil Travers
Wolf Roth as Spielman
Victoria Yeates as Bunty
Cornell John as Arnold Guzman
Jessica Williams as Eulalie Hicks
Joshua Shea as young Newt Scamander
Fiona Glascott in an undisclosed role
Deepak Anand in an undisclosed role
Liv Hansen as Ministry of Magic Witch
Alexandra Ford as Acolyte
Johanna Thea as Ministry of Magic Witch
Jag Patel as Senior Wizard
Adam Ewan as Yarwood
Israel Ruiz as Ministry of Magic Wizard
Aykut Hilmi as Shafiq
Joakim Skarli as Ministry of Magic Wizard
Jan Freygang in an undisclosed role
Linda Santiago as Credence's Aunt
Nicki Vickery as Senior Wizard
Simon Wan as Chang
Adrian Mozzi in an undisclosed role
Alfrun Rose as Red Haired Young Witch
Christopher Birks as Young Auror
Bart Soroczynski as Stebbins
Phil Hodges as Prisoner 001
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald apparates into theaters November 16