“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald”: Everything We Know So Far About the Sequel

[Ulquiorra]

We've got quite a while before the sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them hits theaters and there's tons of mystery surrounding what exactly is going to go down in the movie (considering we don't have books written by J.K. Rowling to spoil the plot, sadly). Luckily, some sneaky deets have been shared about the movie here and there and we gathered up all the most important bits right here! Here's everything you need to know!

What is the sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them called?

The sequel is called Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

Is there a Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald trailer?

Not yet, but here's a super cool moving picture teaser featuring the cast.

When will Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald be released?

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald hits theaters on Friday, November 16th, 2018.

What is Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald about?

Although the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald was captured by the Magical Congress of the United States of America (MACUSA) with the help of Newt Scamander at the end of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, he escaped. When the story picks up, he's busy gathering followers, who are unaware that he's raising up pure-blood wizards to rule over all non-magical beings.

In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, a young Albus Dumbledore enlists his former student Newt Scamander to stop Grindelwald.

Will the original Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them characters be returning?

Apart from Colin Farrell, who played Percival Graves, the head of MACUSA's Department of Magical Law Enforcement (but turned out to be Grindelwald in disguise at the end of the movie), all of your faves from the original movie will be back for Crimes of Grindelwald.

 

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Newton "Newt" Scamander (played by Eddie Redmayne): The eccentric and introverted Magizoologist is now famous across the wizarding world for his textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. In Crimes of Grindelwald, a young Albus Dumbledore will call on Newt to help thwart Grindelwald once again.

 

Porpentina "Tina" Goldstein (played by Katherine Waterston): After helping Newt bring down Gindelwald in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Tina has been reinstated as an auror for The Magical Congress of the United States of America.

Jacob Kowalski (played by Dan Fogler): Although the New York-based baker had his memories wiped at the end of the first movie before he was finally able to open his dream bakery, somehow, he'll be back in Crimes of Grindelwald as the only No-Maj in Newt's gang of magical crime fighters.

Queenie Goldstein (played by Alison Sudol): Queenie, Tina's younger sister and roommate, will be back with her legilimens (mind-reading) abilities!

Credence (played by Ezra Miller): Although Credence was revealed to be an Obscurial (a Witch or Wizard who developed a parasitical force known as an Obscurus through the repression of his or her magic) before his apparent death at the end of the first movie, it seems he didn't die at all, because he'll definitely be back in Crimes of Grindelwald and the nature of his return has been described as "mysterious."

Gellert Grindelwald (played by Johnny Depp): It was revealed at the end of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them that the powerful dark wizard Grindelwald was carrying out his master plan for world domination by infiltrating MACUSA by masquerading as Percival Graves. While we only got a glimpse of Grindelwald in his true form, he'll be wreaking havoc in The Crimes of Grindelwald from the very start, gathering followers to help raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.

Are there new characters in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald?

Yes, there are quite a few!

Albus Dumbledore (played by Jude Law): As mentioned above, after being mentioned in the first movie over and over again, a young Dumbledore will make his debut in Crimes of Grindelwald as Grindelwald's former close friend and the only wizard powerful enough to lead the charge in bringing him down.

Leta Lestrange (played by Zoe Kravitz): Leta Lestrange was mentioned a ton in the first movie as well and it was made abundantly clear that she has some seemingly romantic history with Newt and things definitely didn't end well between them. Well, she's going to be making her debut in Crimes of Grindelwald and she's engaged... TO NEWT'S BROTHER!

Theseus Scamander (played by Callum Turner): Newt's older brother Theseus is a celebrated war hero and he's the head of the Auror Office at the British Ministry of Magic. He doesn't quite see eye-to-eye with his beloved little brother Newt, and the fact that he's engaged to his former flame Leta Lestrange probably doesn't help.

Unnamed Maledictus (played by Claudia Kim): Claudia plays a new character that is a Maledictus, a carrier of a blood curse that means she will ultimately transform into a beast.

Where will Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald take place?

Although a tweet from the official Fantastic Beasts twitter account revealed that Newt's request for a travel permit was denied, he's not going to be letting that get in his way! The movie will take place in New York, London, and Paris

Will there be a time jump in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald?

Yes. Albeit, a tiny one. The sequel will pick up in 1927, just a few months after the events that went down in the first film!

Will Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald explore Dumbledore's sexuality and his relationship with Grindelwald?

J.K. Rowling revealed years ago that Dumbledore is gay and that he loved Grindelwald. But despite the Fantastic Beasts sequel focusing largely on young versions of Dumbledore and Grindelwald, the movie will not explore Dumbledore's sexuality — to fan's disappointment. The movie's director, David Yates, shut down that hope in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

When asked if the movie would delve into Dumbledore's sexuality, David told EW, “Not explicitly."

David suggested that the famous wizard's love story already occured before The Crimes of Grindelwald and that's why it's okay not to address it explicitly in the movie — because fans already know.

“I think all the fans are aware of that," he said. "He had a very intense relationship with Grindelwald when they were young men. They fell in love with each other’s ideas, and ideology and each other.”

David did hint that we will see Dumbledore and Grindelwald interact on screen, though.

“He’s a maverick and a rebel and he’s an inspiring teacher at Hogwarts,” he said about Dumbledore, who will be played by Jude Law. “He’s witty and has a bit of edge. He’s not this elder statesman. He’s a really kinetic guy. And opposite Johnny Depp as Grindelwald, they make an incredible pairing.”

Following controversy over David Yates' comments on the exploration of Dumbledore's sexuality (or lack thereof), J.K. rowling suggested that fans are jumping the gun and making false assumptions based on a series of films that isn't even halfway complete.

Are there any pictures from Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald?

Yes, there are a ton! Here's Newt and Jacob inexplicably reunited in Paris!

 

 

Here's a young Albus Dumbledore in his 1920s era office.

 

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That spark of chemistry between Newt and Tina will definitely be back in full force! Check them out looking like the badass, unstoppable team they are in front of some mysterious file cabinets.

 

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And here's Newt looking quite distressed in some sort of wet, dark dungeon... which definitely can't be good.