Though moviegoers are yet to witness The Crimes of Grindelwald, author-cum-screenwriter J.K. Rowling has already begun work on Fantastic Beasts 3.
Over on fansite JKRowling.com, the Harry Potter mastermind announced that she’s now writing the screenplay for Warner’s fantastical sequel, which has been tentatively slated for a release in 2021. Details of the blockbuster threequel are practically non-existent at this early, early stage, though we’ll no doubt be able to form a better understanding of what Rowling has in store once The Crimes of Grindelwald lights up theaters this November.
It features Johnny Depp as the titular villain, so it’s fair to say that Warner’s decision to stand by the actor, despite allegations of domestic abuse, has proved contentious. Nevertheless, when it comes to the core screenplay underpinning Fantastic Beasts 3, here’s what Rowling had to share:
I’ve just finished the fourth Galbraith novel, Lethal White, and I’m now writing the screenplay for Fantastic Beasts 3. After that I’ll be writing another book for children. I’ve been playing with the (non-Harry Potter/wizarding world) story for about six years, so it’s about time I get it down on paper.
Closer to home, we know The Crimes of Grindelwald makes a welcome return to Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry and the crux of J.K. Rowling’s Potter franchise. Only this time, our adventure begins long before the Boy Who Lived…
Angled as the second installment in Warner’s prequel saga, The Crimes of Grindelwald is primed to cast a spell over moviegoers this November. And after that? A third Fantastic Beasts film, which will presumably shift the focus away from Newt Scamander and over to the young Albus Dumbledore, played in this instance by Jude Law.