As anticipation builds for the November 18th release of Warner Bros. Pictures' adventure Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the Studio has announced plans to return to J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World for the next film in the series, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2, slated for worldwide release on November 16, 2018. The announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures. Wizarding world creator J.K. Rowling, who made her screenwriting debut on the first film, is scripting the sequel.

The second Fantastic Beasts movie moves deeper into an increasingly dark time for the wizarding world, where Newt and our other heroes have to decide on their allegiances. Director David Yates (the final four Harry Potter films) will again take the helm, having recently completed work on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The new film will also reunite producers David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram. Neil Blair, Rick Senat and Danny Cohen will serve as executive producers for Warner Bros.

The Fantastic Beasts franchise is an important part of J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World, a brand which continues to expand. The new play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two, has just opened to rave reviews in London, drawing rapturous applause in sold out performances, and the script of the play, just published, has already seen unprecedented sales for a script book. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks at Universal Studios in Orlando, Hollywood and Osaka, Japan, continue to entertain record crowds and Warner Bros. Studio Tour London - The Making of Harry Potter offers another extremely popular experience for fans of all ages. There is much more on the horizon, all highlighting that the global interest in J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World in every medium is stronger than ever.

The Fantastic Beasts films will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. Fans got their latest look at the upcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them during Warner Bros.' Hall H panel at Comic-Con last month, where a new trailer was revealed. The movie will go up against Relativity's The Disappointments Room in theaters this November.

As for the sequel, Fantastic Beasts 2, David Yates recently teased that J.K. Rowling's script is finished, which takes the story in a whole new directions and introduces more characters that flesh out the Harry Potter universe. It hasn't been confirmed if Eddie Redmayne will return as Newt Scamander, the author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a textbook used at Hogwarts by Harry Potter and his classmates. We also don't know if supporting cast members Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Jenn Murray, Colin Farrell, Carmen Ejogo, Jon Voight and Gemma Chan will be back for the sequel as well, as none of the actors are named in the official press release. But it certainly indicates that they'll all be back, as this next installment continues the story of these new characters being introduced this holiday season.