Harry Potter author's second 'Beasts' film is already written

J.K. Rowling Fantastic Beasts sequel to take story in 'new direction'

J.K. Rowling’s eagerly awaited Harry Potter spin-off movie doesn’t come out until November, but the author has already written a sequel script to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. And the second film will be quite different than the first, director David Yates tells us.

“We’ve seen the script for Part 2, for the second movie, which takes the story in a whole new direction — as you should, you don’t want to repeat yourself,” says Yates, who also helmed the final four Potter films. “The second movie introduces new characters as she builds this part of the Harry Potter universe further. It’s a very interesting development from where we start out. The work is pouring out of her.”

Fantastic Beasts expands the Potter-verse to America with a story set in 1926 New York as magi-zoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) scrambles to recapture his escaped beasts along with some new local friends, Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterson) and Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler).

We also asked Yates if the sequel will also be set in America but he wasn’t ready to yet reveal that bit just yet.

Above is a new photo from the film, which shows Scamander taking aim at some unknown target.

For more on Fantastic Beasts, pick up Entertainment Weekly’s new Comic-Con issue, on newsstands Friday and available here.