With much of the action in FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM taking place in New York and the upcoming sequel set to explore Paris, it seems that the FANTASTIC BEASTS franchise will be more of a globe-trotter than the HARRY POTTER series, and that's all part of J.K. Rowling's master plan. While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD director David Yates confirmed that each of the five movies will be set in a different city around the world.
Yes. Jo’s already told us where the next one is taking place. It’s very exciting. This is a global story, ultimately. And given that there’s a global audience for this, it’s all the more delightful to take the story to different parts of the world.
There are countless cities which the remaining three FANTASTIC BEASTS sequel could set themselves in, and the chance to explore the Wizarding World from the perspective of different cultures is, at least for me, one of the highlights of this series. That's not to say that other cities won't be glimpsed in the sequels, as David Yates said that THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD will also return to London and New York. "We delve deeper into [J.K. Rowling’s] wizarding world — we’re in Paris, we’re in London and New York — the world is expanding," Heyman said. "As you can tell from the [cast photo], we’re following quite a few characters. The new film has a very different feel than the first. It’s got a thriller quality. And it’s also a story about love and passion and all its forms — paternal, romantic, political. And it’s just a thrilling and very fun adventure. We took all we’ve learned from one and just expanded that and created a richer, deeper and more thrilling film which I’m excited to be a part of."
Which city are you hoping will be featured in one of the upcoming FANTASTIC BEASTS sequels?
FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD will open in 1927, a few months after the events of the first film in which Newt Scamander helped to capture the infamous dark wizard Grindelwald (Johnny Depp), and, as he promised he would, Grindelwald has made a dramatic escape and has been gathering more followers to his cause — elevating wizards above all non-magical beings. The only one who might be able to stop him is the wizard he once called his dearest friend, Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law). But Dumbledore will need help from the wizard who had thwarted Grindelwald once before, his former student Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne). The adventure reunites Newt with Tina (Katherine Waterston), Queenie (Alison Sudol) and Jacob (Dan Fogler), but his mission will also test their loyalties as they face new perils in an increasingly dangerous and divided wizarding world.
In addition to the returning characters from the first film, which includes Ezra Miller as the enigmatic Credence, the sequel will also star Claudia Kim as a Maledictus, the carrier of a blood curse that destines her ultimately to transform into a beasts, Callum Turner as Newt's older brother, Theseus Scamander, a celebrated war hero and the Head of the Auror Office at the British Ministry of Magic, and we'll also be properly introduced to Leta Lestrange, played by Zoe Kravitiz, who had once been close to Newt but is now engaged to his brother.
FANTASTIC BEASTS: CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD will hit theaters on November 16, 2018.