Fantastic Beasts sequel will take the story in a whole new direction

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Although we've still several months away from the release of FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM, it's easy for Warner Bros. to assume that it will serve as the start of a brand-new Harry Potter franchise, in fact, J.K. Rowling has already been writing up a storm for the next two FANTASTIC BEASTS films. David Yates, who helmed the final four Harry Potter movies, returned to the director's chair for FANTASTIC BEASTS but his eye is already on the sequel. Yates told Entertainment Weekly that he's seen the sequel's script and that it take the story in a whole new direction.

We’ve seen the script for Part 2, for the second movie, which takes the story in a whole new direction – as you should, you don’t want to repeat yourself. The second movie introduces new characters as she builds this part of the Harry Potter universe further. It’s a very interesting development from where we start out. The work is pouring out of her.

As we haven't yet seen FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM, it's difficult to guess exactly how different this "new direction" will be, but keeping things fresh rather than repeating yourself is definitely a good thing, especially with these big franchise pictures. Yates was also asked whether the sequel will continue to be set in America but said that he didn't want to reveal that quite yet. Setting each film in a different location/country would definitely help send things in a new direction.

A synopsis for FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM:

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures.  Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident…were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM will hit theaters on November 18, 2016.