TheFantastic Beastsfranchise is going global for the long-haul, it seems. When the firstFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Themmovie was announced, it marked an opportunity to reveal the American wizarding world for the very first time.Harry Potterfans were excited to see what screenwriterJ.K. Rowlingwould showcase by focusing on a different corner of the wizarding world, and while we got a mighty enticing peek, it was short-lived. The sequel,Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, moves the action to Paris, and it appears the plan is for every singleFantastic Beastsmovie to take place in a different city.
Speaking withEW, directorDavid Yates—who helmed the final fourPotterfilms and these first twoFantastic Beastsmovies—confirmed the globe-trotting planwhich had previously been teasedas far back as November 2016:
“Yes,” Yates replied when asked if each film is set in a different city. “Jo’s already told us where the next one is taking place. It’s very exciting. This is a global story, ultimately. And given that there’s a global audience for this, it’s all the more delightful to take the story to different parts of the world.”
We had an inkling this might happen when Paris was announced as the setting ofFantastic Beasts 2. The follow-up introducesJude Lawas young Albus Dumbledore, who enlists the help of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and his friends to track down Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp), who’s escaped from prison once more and is rounding up followers. The Paris setting allows Rowling, who wrote the screenplay, to reveal even more about the wizarding world in a new setting, and it appears that trend will continue going forward.
And while the firstFantastic Beastswas decidedly American, we’ll still have our principal American characters—Tina (Katherine Waterston), Queenie (Alison Sudol), and Jacob (Dan Fogler)—anchoring the franchise wherever it goes next.
So where will that be? Germany’s a possibility, given the World War II allusions regarding Grindelwald’s reign of terror. An Asian locale would certainly be dynamic and much-welcomed, and it’s also possible we return to the United States at some point just in a different city. We know this franchise is heading towards the famous duel between Dumbledore and Grindelwald, the location of which has not been revealed, so it’s also possible we head back to the U.K. at some point. That would seem to be a fitting bridge between the finalFantastic Beastsfilm andHarry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
So which cities do you want to see explored in theFantastic Beastsfranchise? Sound off in the comments below.Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwaldopens in theaters on November 16th.
