I am proud to say I have finally read the entire original Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling! In my defense, when it came out I was under the impression it was a kid’s series, and I was still in the Marine Corps. I was too macho to read some kid crap. But then I got to college, and all my friends seemed obsessed with Harry Potter. More on my college in a bit.
I was doing enough reading for my classes, but then the movies started coming out, and since I am a film guy, I watched the first one and didn’t hate it. Not only that, it starts off with the wanton slaughter of a baby’s family. Freakin’ dark! This was supposed to be some kid’s story, right?
Well, I decided I would watch all the films (that existed at the time) and then read the novels when it became too difficult to just keep putting off. Also, turns out my college is now unofficially considered the “Hogwarts of the West” LUMOS
But now that I have read the whole series, seen all the films multiple times, and have visited Hogsmeade and Daigon Alley enough times to have escaped from Gringott’s over 15 times, I consider myself a bit of a Potterhead. And I am always on Potterwatch, so to speak. For the record, I am certified Ravenclaw and my patronus is a snowy owl.
When Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them came out last year, I wasn’t sure what to expect. And what we got was definitely a brilliant film, but it lacked Harry Potter and any real solid connection to his story line. As a stand alone film it was fun and magical and featured my favorite Goldberg and Fanboy alumnus, Dan Folger. And I was surprised that his Jacob Kowalski character resonated with me so deeply. But despite how terrific “Beasts” was, we all wanted Dumbledore. Well, wait no more – Albus is coming – on 11/16/18 to be precise!
Albus is of course being played by Jude Law, with Eddie Redmayne returning as Newt Scamander, and if you look below seems Kowalski looks to be back in the mix, which makes me really happy!
Soon we will all know #TheCrimesofGrindlewald and much much more! 11/16/18 pic.twitter.com/vWTqA1dCAW
— FilmGrouch (@filmgrouch) November 17, 2017
Here’s all the details!
Warner Bros. Pictures announces “FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD” as the title of the second of five all new adventures in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World™. Opening exactly one year from today, November 16, 2018, the film features an ensemble cast led by Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, with Jude Law and Johnny Depp.
At the end of the first film, the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Redmayne). But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, most unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all non-magical beings.
In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Law) enlists his former student Newt Scamander, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead. Lines are drawn as love and loyalty are tested, even among the truest friends and family, in an increasingly divided wizarding world.
“FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD” is being directed by David Yates, from a screenplay by J.K. Rowling, and produced by David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram.
