Warner Bros. has released the first Fantastic Beasts 2 trailer, offering fans a look at the highly anticipated sequel. David Yates, who not only directed the first Fantastic Beasts but also the final four Harry Potter films starting with Order of the Phoenix, returns to the director's chair for the second of a planned five-film Fantastic Beasts franchise that further reveals the Wizarding World—albeit in the 1920s instead of present day.

J.K. Rowling returns to pen the script for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, which finds magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) and his friends enlisted by a young (and very handsome) Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) to help track down the villainous Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp), who is amassing an army to rule over all impure muggles and non-magic folk.

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Image via Warner Bros.

While the first Fantastic Beasts offered a first look at the American Wizarding World with a New York City setting, The Crimes of Grindelwald moves the action to Paris for the most part, uncovering yet another corner of Rowling's ever-expanding Wizarding World. Indeed, the plan for the franchise is for each film to take place in a different city. But the first Fantastic Beasts 2 trailer also takes us back to a very familiar location right off the bat -- Hogwarts, where we meet Law as Dumbledore. He certainly does have that twinkling eye down, eh?

Young Dumbledore aside, the new trailer also teases Deathly Hallows connections, teases a few of the titular beasts, and offers glimpses at the rag-tag bunch of wizards and No-Maj's we mat in the first Fantastic Beast film. The Crimes of Grindelwald brings us closer to the mythology the Wizarding World we all know and love, and I'm curious of Newt and Jacob's slapstick adventures can still hold our interest when the shadow of Hogwarts, the Potters and all the familiar faces of the original series grow ever-larger. The trailer certainly teases plenty of enchanting images, so we'll see how it all comes together when Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald opens in theaters on November 16th.

The film also stars Katherine WaterstonAlison SudolDan FoglerZoe KravitzEzra Miller, Callum Turner, and Claudia Kim. Watch the first Fantastic Beasts 2 trailer below.

Here’s the official synopsis for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald:

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.

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Image via Warner Bros.
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Image via Warner Bros.
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Image via Warner Bros.
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Image via Warner Bros.