The third installment of the Fantastic Beasts franchise will premiere earlier than expected and has an official new title, Warner Bros. announced on Wednesday.
Previously slated for release in July, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore will now hit theaters Easter weekend on April 15, 2022.
Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen will make his debut in the fantasy film as villain Gellert Grindelwald after replacing Johnny Depp in the role.
Attention muggles: The third installment of the Fantastic Beasts franchise will premiere April 15, 2022 and is titled Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Warner Bros. announced on Wednesday
‘#FantasticBeasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore in theaters April 15, 2022,’ read a tweet by the film’s official account.
Until now the flick was called simply Fantastic Beasts 3 but the expanded title and official synopsis, also released by the studio, gives muggles a highly anticipated glimpse into the film.
‘Professor Albus Dumbledore knows the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald is moving to seize control of the wizarding world. Unable to stop him alone, he entrusts Magizoologist Newt Scamander to lead an intrepid team of wizards, witches and one brave Muggle baker on a dangerous mission, where they encounter old and new beasts and clash with Grindelwald’s growing legion of followers,’ reads the synopsis. ‘But with the stakes so high, how long can Dumbledore remain on the sidelines?’
‘Professor Albus Dumbledore knows the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald is moving to seize control of the wizarding world. Unable to stop him alone, he entrusts Magizoologist Newt Scamander to lead an intrepid team of wizards, witches and one brave Muggle baker on a dangerous mission, where they encounter old and new beasts and clash with Grindelwald’s growing legion of followers,’ reads the synopsis.
For the first two films, Grindelwald was played by actor Johnny Depp but he backed out of the last three installments over his public drama with ex-wife Amber Heard.
In November 2020, it was announced that Hannibal star Mads Mikkelsen would officially replace Depp as the star of the third Fantastic Beasts movie.
Depp, 57, announced his departure from the Harry Potter franchise earler that month on Instagram, revealing he had ‘been asked to resign by Warner Bros.’ from the Grindelwald role.
Mikkelsen was said to be the top choice of director David Yates.
Production started on Fantastic Beasts 3 on September 20 in London, though the studio had waited to see how Depp’s defamation lawsuit against British tabloid The Sun would pan out.
Debut: For the first two films, Grindelwald was played by actor Johnny Depp but he backed out of the last three installments over his public drama with ex-wife Amber Heard and it was announced that Hannibal star Mads Mikkelsen would officially replace Depp
When a British judge ruled in favor of the publication – which Depp had sued for referring to him as a ‘wife-beater’ in regards to his relationship with ex-wife Amber Heard – Warner Bros. decided to sever ties with the veteran actor.
Depp had only shot one scene of the sequel, though his ‘pay-or-play’ contract allows him to keep the full $10 million he was paid for the role.
The actor also has a defamation lawsuit against Heard in Virginia, which required the actor to be in court for three consecutive days in November, which would have also altered the Fantastic Beasts 3 shooting schedule.
Fantastic Beasts 3 is co-written by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and co-stars, alongside Mikkelson, Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Alison Sudol and Ezra Miller.
Iconic character: Jude Law plays the titular Albus Dumbledore in his younger years, before becoming the beloved Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Law plays the titular Albus Dumbledore in his younger years, before becoming the beloved Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
In addition to having to recast one of its three main headliners, the film had to shut down filming earlier this year due to the coronavirus.
Fears that the mutant South African strain was responsible has led to Warner Bros to temporarily halt production at their studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire in February.
A set insider said there was concern the coronavirus variant was present in staff despite strict protocol measures put in place after a previous outbreak at the studio
A source at the Leavesden studio said film bosses are not revealing who among the cast and crew has contracted the virus. In September the dialect coach on set got it, but filming continued.
The source suggested that while crew can be replaced, for production to be suspended a principal member of the cast involved.
Problems: In addition to having to recast one of its three main headliners, the film had to shut down filming earlier this year due to the coronavirus
