Lucky Harry Potter fans were able to catch an early screening of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald this weekend in a few different locations. Now that the social media embargo has lifted, early reactions to the highly anticipated sequel have hit the web. There has been some controversy surrounding the sequel, mainly around the decision to keep Johnny Depp on board, after accusations of domestic abuse by ex-wife Amber Heard were made public. With that being said, the first reactions to the sequel have been positive, for the most part.

Harry Potter fans were a bit skeptical when Eddie Redmayne's magizoologist Newt Scamander became the new leading face for the franchise over two years ago. However, Fantastic Beasts was a huge success, scoring over $800 million globally, and safely securing that more films would be made in the future. The first of the four new installments, Fantastic Beasts 2 hits theaters on November 16th, and fans of the franchise have been wondering how this one stacks up to the first movie.

Some critics and fans were able to see early screenings of Fantastic Beasts 2, with Warner Bros. holding some special fan screenings in places like Universal Studios Hollywood. Much like the early reactions to Wreck-It Ralph 2, which also hits theaters this month, the reactions to Fantastic Beasts 2 have been generally positive. One fan says that it's a "magical must-see," and goes on to say, "Johnny Depp as Grindelwald is perfection." Another reaction to the sequel heaps more praise and notes that moviegoers don't have to be well-versed in the franchise to see that it's an excellent film, while also giving compliments to Depp's performance, saying that "it's hard to resist the stunning visuals, flawless action and riveting performances."

As with all forms of media, there is some criticism for Fantastic Beasts 2. One early reaction claims that the sequel is "an erratic and overstuffed mess," while going on to compare it to the "fan service" of Gandalf battling The Nine in The Hobbit. The criticism of the movie continued, stating that the editing is sloppy and declaring that it is "(J.K.)Rowling's sloppiest and probably worst wizarding story." Another early reaction echoes the sloppy editing claims and says, that the "poorly constructed story" is unforgivable.

While there are some early negative reactions to Fantastic Beasts 2, the majority of them are positive, and some overwhelmingly so. Now that the movie has screened, franchise creator J.K. Rowling thanked fans and critics for not spoiling any of the storyline in their first reviews of the film. As is the case with any big movie, or book, or album, the moviegoers will have to go in and make up their own minds when it comes to enjoying Fantastic Beasts 2. You can check out the thank you note from J.K. Rowling's Twitter account and some early reactions below.