Earlier this year, Warner Bros. pulled Fantastic Beasts 3 from its November 2020 release date, leaving it up in the air when fans would get to see the next installment of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter prequel series. This Monday, though, the studio finally gave the film a new place in its schedule, telling us that we can now expect to return to the Wizarding World on November 12th, 2021.
Ron Sanders, president of Worldwide Theatrical Distribution and Home Entertainment, made the announcement, releasing the following statement along with the news:
“J.K. Rowling created an awe-inspiring universe that has captivated people of all ages, taking us on an extraordinary magical journey,” said Sanders. “Warner Bros. is so proud to be the cinematic home of the Wizarding World and is excited about the future of the Fantastic Beasts franchise. We look forward to bringing the third chapter of the five-film series to audiences around the globe in November 2021.”
The new release date and Sanders’ comments feel like an attempt by WB to deflect some recent gossip about the franchise, with reports claiming that the studio’s facing a crisis in regards to what to do about Johnny Depp’s role as Grindelwald following the continuing allegations of domestic abuse made against him by his ex-wife Amber Heard. Sanders’ statement seems to say that nothing major will change with the following three movies in Rowling’s planned quintology, but we’ll just have to wait and see if that’s the case.
Toby Emmerich, Chairman of Warner Bros. Picture Group, likewise released a statement in which he speaks of how the pushed-back release date will allow the threequel to “flourish.”
“We are incredibly excited about and have confidence in the Fantastic Beasts series. We all believe this release date will give the filmmakers time and space to allow their artistry to truly flourish and deliver the best possible film to our fans.”
Again, these comments come in the face of rumors that WB has held back FB3 by a full year because of the underwhelming critical reception and box office intake of The Crimes of Grindelwald. Whatever way you look at it though, the film was the least successful entry in the Wizarding World saga as yet, and clearly, the studio doesn’t want the franchise to become a series of increasingly poor returns.
As fans know, each Fantastic Beasts movie is set in a different city, with Rowling hinting on Twitter that the next one will take place in Rio de Janeiro. That remains to be confirmed, but filming is due to start on Fantastic Beasts 3 in spring 2020, and as soon as we learn more, we’ll be sure to let you know.