It's been five years since we last saw the Wizard World depicted on the silver screen, but director David Yates will soon bring us back to that (literally) magical place with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Although pretty much everything about Fantastic Beasts is new and different, Yates himself is no stranger to directing movies within this universe, as he cut his teeth on several Harry Potter films. What was it that brought him back? Yates has an answer to that question, and it primarily has to do with the strength of Fantastic Beasts' story. He explained:
Well, they sent me the script and I wasn't certain 'cause I'd spent six years here on those four Potter films, and they sent me the script and I was really nervous 'cause I had to really fall in love with it to come back. And I didn't know if I could come back. And then, it was just the most delightful read. It was charming, moving, tender. It felt fresh and it was with a bunch of people that I really love working with so, it was a bit of a no-brainer.
During the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them set visit in December, David Yates opened up regarding the decision to return to the Wizard World with Fantastic Beasts. He had his own particular set of reservations about coming back, considering the fact that he had already spend six years working on the Harry Potter franchise. However, he ultimately felt compelled to return because he found himself impressed by the script, as well as the new direction that the wizard universe would take with the upcoming spin-off movie.
It's difficult to overstate how vital David Yates' return to the Wizard World is for Fantastic Beasts. Although a number of highly regarded filmmakers took the reigns on the Harry Potter franchise over the course of the eight films, none of them had quite as big of an impact as him. Over the course of six years, and the latter four movies, Yates took the franchise from Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and carried the story all the way through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 2. Although Fantastic Beasts is an entirely new story altogether, Yates' visual style will go a long way towards maintaining a sense of visual continuity that fans have come to expect.
Check out the brand new trailer for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them below to see Yates' handiwork for yourself.
CinemaBlend will keep you updated with any and all relevant details related to the upcoming release of Fantastic Beasts as more information becomes available to us. The Harry Potter spin-off film will land in theaters on November 18.
