Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald Wraps Filming Ahead Of 2018 Release

Talk about honoring Wizarding Wednesdays in style.

After five months of principal photography – photography that primarily took place on the Warner Bros. lot in Leavesden, England – filming on Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald has officially wrapped ahead of a release in November of 2018. So, mischief managed, to use an old J.K. Rowling line.

Indeed, the Harry Potter mastermind, who made her screenwriting debut on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them last year, helped nurture The Crimes of Grindelwald alongside the sequel’s director, David Yates. Together, they’ve crafted a story that begins exactly where Beasts left off, as Newt Scamander and Co. make tracks for Paris to combat a new threat: Gellert Grindelwald.

Not unlike He Who Must Not Be Named, Grindelwald is evil personified, and his storied history with Albus Dumbledore promises to be one of the most intriguing aspects of Yates’ sequel. Sadly, the same can’t be said for the director’s choice of casting, but more on that later.

Via Twitter:

That's a wrap on #FantasticBeasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald production! See you in 2018. #MagicInProgress #FantasticBeasts #WizardingWednesdays pic.twitter.com/aWn0TV36bt

— Fantastic Beasts (@FantasticBeasts) December 20, 2017

As we alluded to before, Warner’s Fantastic Beasts sequel drew the ire of Harry Potter fans – and the Internet at large! – following the decision to cast Johnny Depp as Grindelwald. To their credit, both David Yates and J.K. Rowling have vehemently defended their choice to stand by Depp – much to the bemusement of Amber Heard.

Casting-wise, we know Eddie Redmayne spearheads The Crimes of Grindelwald as Newt, with Dan Fogler returning as the Muggle Jacob Kowalski. Elsewhere, Jude Law clinched the role of Albus Dumbledore, and will be joined by Katherine Waterston, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Zoe Kravitz, Callum Turner, and Claudia Kim.

The wizarding saga continues when Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald hits theaters on November 16th, 2018. And the suits of Warner Bros. will be hoping that its second Harry Potter prequel can put a spell on moviegoers next year.