In news that should surprise absolutely no one, it was revealed today that 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,' the first cinematic spin-off from the massively popular 'Harry Potter' series, won't be a standalone film. Warner Bros. is betting heavily on their return to J.K. Rowling's wizarding world and have announced that the adventures of magical animal specialist Newt Scamander will be a trilogy.

The first 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' was already set for release on November 8, 2016, but now the two other films in the series have been scheduled for 2018 and 2020. Normally, planning a series of films six years in advance sounds crazy (unless your name is Marvel Studios), but with a brand that continues to be one of the most popular things to ever happen to modern human society, it feels like a pretty safe bet.

What we know about 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' can fit into one surprisingly concise paragraph. We know that it follows Newt Scamander, a wizard living in New York 70 years before Harry Potter attends Hogwarts. We know that he goes on some kind of adventure that has him interacting with all kinds of magical creatures (his textbook, which bears the title of his film, is frequently mentioned in the 'Harry Potter' books). We know that David Yates is back in the director's chair after helming four films in the main series and that Rowling will make her screenwriting debut with the script.

In other words, it's a period piece adventure about mythical animals set in one of the richest fictional worlds ever conceived and overseen by that world's original creator. Yeah, Warner Bros. is just being logical by scheduling three films years in advance. These movies are going to be huuuge.