At a Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them fan event tonight, J.K. Rowling made a surprise appearance and dropped a bombshell.
Are you sitting down? Okay: Fantastic Beasts is no longer the first movie in a trilogy. It’s the beginning of a five-part series:
.@jk_rowling has just confirmed the magic continues in a total of FIVE MOVIES! We can't wait! #FantasticBeasts
— Fantastic Beasts (@FantasticBeasts) October 13, 2016
In a tweet posted shortly after the event, Rowling appeared to confirm she’ll be writing all five movies:
I'm the screenwriter. Currently putting the finishing touches to the second one. https://t.co/smffkQ42GZ
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) October 13, 2016
The news comes just after a new Fantastic Beasts featurette was released. In it, Grindelwald is a big topic of conversation, as is an upcoming Wizarding War.
The original plan was for Fantastic Beasts to be a trilogy, but Rowling has obviously developed a larger story now that requires more room. We suspect Grindelwald and the aforementioned war will be major aspects going forward.
It seems more likely than ever that classic characters we heard about in the Harry Potter series will have big roles in later Fantastic Beasts (or whatever they call them) movies. As Rowling says in the featurette, “You’re learning a part of magical history that’s talked about in the Potter books that you never see. I’m getting a chance to tell that now.”
I like this idea from Keaton on Twitter:
@sims Theory – five films, 1926-1945, Newt's adventures and creatures get him swept up in both Muggle/Wizarding world history… (1/2)
— Keaton Brower (@Thespian21) October 13, 2016
@sims …series ends with Newt helping Dumbledore defeat Grindelwald just as Voldemort graduates from Hogwarts in 1945. Thoughts? (2/2)
— Keaton Brower (@Thespian21) October 13, 2016