The Saga Continues With Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald In 2018; Check Out First Cast Photo

Something magical this way comes.

Warner Bros. has today conjured up our first official look at Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald, the David Yates-directed sequel that’s due in theaters exactly one year from now – November 16th, 2018.

True to their initial promise, the Powers That Be have taken a leaf out of Harry Potter‘s book when it comes to the title format of its Fantastic Beasts prequel saga, and it looks like Potterheads are about to get acquainted with Johnny Depp’s Gellert Grindelwald, a malevolent rogue that was once considered to be the most powerful Dark Wizard in the land – second only to Lord Voldemort.

Picking up soon after the finale of Fantastic Beasts, The Crimes Of Grindelwald “takes place in New York, Paris, and London, where we will see love and loyalties tested in this tumultuous time in the wizarding world,” according to a telegraph on Pottermore.

At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.

In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Law) 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.

Casting-wise, The Crimes of Grindelwald also signals the return of Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, Katherine Waterston as Tina Goldstein, Justice League‘s Ezra Miller as Credence, Alison Sudol as her sister Queenie, and Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski. There’s also a bunch of newcomers to consider, including Claudia Kim, who appears as a Maledictus, Zoe Kravitz as Leta Lestrange (expect Kravitz’s enigmatic character to become a potential love interest for Newt), Callum Turner as Newt’s older brother, Theseus, and Brontis Jodorowsky, who takes point as the famous Nicolas Flamel.

And in true Harry Potter fashion, the video above is essentially a magical portrait, as each individual sways to and fro as smoke billows into frame, narrowing the focus to Johnny Depp’s icy Grindelwald. He’s in possession of the Elder Wand, too, which can only portend dark and difficult times for our heroes.

It’s official: Fantastic Beasts 2 will uncover The Crimes of Grindelwald on November 16th, 2018.