The Harry Potter franchise has enthralled the general public for decades, starting with J.K. Rowling's original novels. Since then the Wizarding World has been consistently expanded thanks to games, theme parks, Broadway plays, and the Fantastic Beasts movies. Production is currently underway on Fantastic Beasts 3, with director David Yates once again behind the camera. But does he still plan on helming all five installments of the spinoff property?
David Yates has a long history with the Harry Potter franchise, directing the last four movies starting with Order of the Phoenix. He's been collaborating with J.K. Rowling herself on the Fantastic Beasts franchise, which will span five total films. Production on the threequel has hit a number of road blocks, so fans are left wondering if Yates still plans to stick around for two more movies. Tina actress Katherine Waterson recently spoke to this, saying:
I think he is meant to direct them all. I think it’s very interesting. He’s worked very closely with J.K. Rowling for a long time and very few people have access to her because she’s quite insulated and so I can’t really imagine how it could work any other way frankly.
Well, there you have it. It looks like despite the on set drama associated with Fantastic Beasts 3, David Yates is still seemingly set to direct all five installments of the prequel series. This approach will no doubt give the franchise a cohesive visual language, while also allowing the story to be told in a methodical way.
Katherine Waterson's comments to Collider are sure to be thrilling for Harry Potter fans who are patiently awaiting the release of Fantastic Beasts 3. Utterly nothing about the threequel has been revealed, although it's expected to further raise the stakes after The Crimes of Grindelwald. What's more, it seems David Yates and J.K. Rowling are still planning to collaborate on another two installments of the magical franchise.
As previously mentioned, there were a number of roadblocks that have already affected the Fantastic Beasts franchise. First the set was shut down just as filming began, resulting in the project being pushed back. Next J.K. Rowling herself got involved in an ongoing controversy about comments she made regarding transgender women. Eddie Redmayne himself came out against those comments, while the two continue to work together on Fantastic Beasts 3.
But perhaps the biggest controversy surrounding Fantastic Beasts 3 was Johnny Depp's recent departure from the role of Grindelwald. Following the actor's loss in court for his libel case against The Sun, Warner Bros. asked Depp to step down as the franchise's primary antagonist. He's since been replaced by the great Mads Mikkelsen, and fans are eager to see how he'll step into the character's shoes.
Regardless of these hiccups, production is underway for Fantastic Beasts 3 nonetheless. The ending of The Crimes of Grindelwald teased major things for the ongoing story, especially regarding Dumbledore. What's more, Grindelwald seemingly has more power than ever-- even if he's being played by another actor entirely.
David Yates' Fantastic Beasts 3 is currently expected to arrive in theaters on July 15th, 2022. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your next movie experience.
