It’s time to return to the magic, as a spellbinding new trailer has dropped for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. The Harry Potter prequel franchise has been off our screens since fall 2018 when the second installment, The Crimes of Grindelwald, arrived to limited commercial and critical success. Warner Bros. has been working hard to make this third movie the best the series has to offer, then, and fans are certainly hoping it’ll restore wonder to the Wizarding World.
The good news is this trailer hits the spot, by teasing a greater focus on Jude Law’s young Albus Dumbledore, whose mysteries the title promises will be revealed in this movie, as well as the rise of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald, Albus’ former teenage lover turned enemy. Mads Mikkelsen is taking over the role from Johnny Depp for this one, and though the recasting proved controversial, there’s no denying the Doctor Strange star can make the part his own.
Meanwhile, Eddie Redmayne returns as magizoologist Newt Scamander, who will this time be forced to team up with his estranged brother Theseus (Callum Turner) and new ally Eulalie “Lally” Hicks (Jessica Williams). Dan Fogler is back as his No-Maj best pal Jacob Kowalski, as is Alison Sudol as Queenie, who’s joined Grindelwald on the dark side. Katherine Waterston takes a back seat this time as Tina while Victoria Yeates steps up as Newt’s assistant Bunty.
What’s more, Ezra Miller reprises Credence Barebone, who we now know is really Aurelius Dumbledore. A third Dumbledore family member features in the form of Aberforth, Albus’ brother, as played by Richard Coyle. With its focus on the Dumbledore clan and an increased role for Hogwarts, Fantastic Beasts 3 definitely promises to deliver on the fanservice. But will it be enough to win over audiences jaded by the last movie?
We’ll find out when Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore enters theaters on April 8 in the United Kingdom and April 13 in the United States.