Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald has only been in cinemas for a week, but there’s already plenty to look forward to and theorise about the third instalment in the series: November 2020’s Fantastic Beasts 3. Read on to find out what we know so far about the film!
1. Newt is off to Brazil … maybe?
The first Fantastic Beasts film saw magizoologist Newt Scamander (on Dumbledore’s recommendation, it seems) off to New York to release Frank the thunderbird, while in Crimes of Grindelwald our protagonists venture to Paris.
The third film in the series might see our heroes off to Brazil. J.K. Rowling updated her Twitter header photo earlier this month to a picture of Rio De Janeiro in the 1930s (a likely time period for the third film). JKR loves hiding little easter eggs in images — is this a nod to the upcoming screenplay?
Incidentally, the South American wizarding school is called Castelobruxo and students wear robes of bright green. The school is guarded by Caipora, “small and furry spirit-beings”.
2. Or is it China?
Crimes of Grindelwald introduced viewers to the Zouwu a “gigantic elephant-sized cat” that is native to China. While the inclusion of a Chinese beast stirred up a lot of fan buzz, Katherine Waterston (Tina Goldstein) made specific reference to J.K. Rowling’s knowledge of China:
“I think that was quite thrilling for us, even on the first film, just to see how rich and expansive J.K. Rowling’s imagination was and it went back in time, and she sees the future, and she knows what’s going on in China right now!”
We don’t yet know anything about a Chinese wizarding school — will there be a whole new continent to explore come 2020? (This editor is still secretly hoping for Newt to come Down Under with the billywigs — any chance Jo?)
3. Will we finally see Ilvermorny?
Speaking of wizarding schools, Fantastic Beasts 3 might finally take us to Ilvermorny, the American school of witchcraft and wizardry which sits atop the highest peak of Mount Greylock in the American state of Massachusetts.
J.K. Rowling has written extensively about the American version of Hogwarts, whose houses include “Horned Serpent”, “Pukwudgie”, “Thunderbird” and “Wampus”.
Both Tina and Queenie Goldstein attended Ilvermorny (and were in Pukwudgie and Thunderbird house, respectively), and a deleted scene from the first Fantastic Beasts film shows them singing the school song.
So why exactly are fans theorising that we might visit Ilvermorny? That’s because of one Professor Lally Hicks. Wait, who? Read on to learn more!
4. Professor Eulalie (Lally) Hicks
Professor Eulalie (Lally) Hicks is a professor at Ilvermorny who will be played by actress Jessica Williams. She appeared briefly in Crimes of Grindelwald, communicating with alchemist Nicolas Flamel via a magical book.
Rowling revealed Williams’ role in the Fantastic Beasts universe earlier this year when the two met at a press event for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the Harry Potter stage play.
While Professor Hicks’ role in Crimes of Grindelwald was blink-and-you’d-miss it, her “true glory” will be revealed in Fantastic Beasts 3.
5. The gang are back together
J.K. Rowling returns to the third film as sole screenwriter, while “team David” — Potter alumni David Yates (director) and David Heyman (producer extraordinaire) — return behind the screens.
Composer James Newton Howard, who wrote the music for the first two films, will be returning to score the third.
6. The film already has a title … and Jude Law knows it
J.K. Rowling has finished a treatment of the screenplay for Fantastic Beasts 3, and has shared the title with a very lucky Jude Law (young Albus Dumbledore). Eddie Redmayne (Newt) is also in on the title of the film.
7. The truth about Aurelius Dumbledore
Just who is the mysterious Aurelius Dumbledore? The identity Grindelwald bestows upon Credence Barebone at the end of Crimes of Grindelwald has left hordes of ‘Potter’ fans theorising.
Is he a fourth Dumbledore sibling? A nephew? Is Ariana Dumbledore an Obscurial? Is master manipulator Gellert Grindelwald lying? We’ll need to wait until Fantastic Beasts 3 to find out!
So there you have it: 7 magical facts (and a bit of theorising) about Fantastic Beasts 3! Mark your calendars for 20 November 2020 as the date we’ll enter the ever-expanding Wizarding World once more!