Fear not Potterheads, Harry Potter is never ending.
Today, at the Time Waner Investor Meeting, Waner Bros. announced that the new set of Harry Potter related films, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them, has a director: David Yates.
Yates directed the final four Harry Potter films. Before the announcement today Yates was only “in talks” to direct the new films and would be joining as a produce.
CEO Kevin Tsujihara has said that Fanastic Beasts will be “at least” a trilogy, with the second and third films to be released in 2018 and 2020.
Also from the Waner Bros. press release:
“The Studio will release three pictures, in 2016, 2018 and 2020, based on best-selling author J.K. Rowling’s original story and screenwriting debut, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” Set in an extension of her familiar wizarding world, featuring magical creatures and characters inspired by Harry Potter’s Hogwarts textbook and its fictitious author, Newt Scamander, “Fantastic Beasts” will be directed by David Yates, who directed the last four Harry Potter movies, and reunite the filmmaking team of David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram.”
Currently it is not known what rolls Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram will have.
Fantastic Beasts and where to find them will be released November 18, 2016.