Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

From Young Pope to… Young Wizard? The second installment in the five planned Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them films will focus on Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, long before he became the headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry—and he’ll be played by Jude Law. Variety broke the news, while Pottermore provided more information about Dumbledore’s part in the film’s plot.

At this point in the story he is the wizarding school’s Transfiguration professor and a contemporary of Gellert Grindelwald—the Dark wizard we met in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, played by Johnny Depp. Dumbledore was referenced in the first film, when it was revealed that Newt Scamander was expelled from Hogwarts because of an accident with a magical creature. It was Dumbledore who argued against his expulsion. In the latest edition of the Hogwarts Library book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Newt says in his foreword that, ‘Albus Dumbledore was something more than a schoolteacher to me,’ but to reveal more would breach the Official Magical Secrets Act as well as his former teacher’s confidence.

“Jude Law is a phenomenally talented actor whose work I’ve long admired, and I’m looking forward to finally having the opportunity to work with him,” director David Yates said. “I know he will brilliantly capture all the unexpected facets of Albus Dumbledore as J.K. Rowling reveals this very different time in his life.”

The Pottermore press release also mentions a fascinating point that we brought up in the office: Law has worked with Fantastic Beasts stars Colin Farrell and Johnny Depp (who will return as Grindelwald in the sequel) before—in fact, they all played the same role in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, taking on the part after Heath Ledger passed away during filming.

Now, the most important question–what kind of facial hair should we expect? We’re leaning more toward the Dr. Watson ‘stache than this gnarly beard, but we’ll see what choice Law makes as he follows his predecessors Richard Harris and Michael Gambon…

The sequel to Fantastic Beasts will be released November 16, 2018.