New 'Fantastic Beasts' Sequel Image Features Fan Favorite Reunion

Empire has offered a new look at Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, featuring Eddie [...]

Empire has offered a new look at Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, featuring Eddie Redmayne's Newt Scamander and Katherine Waterston's Tina Goldstein.

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(Photo: Empire / Warner Bros.)

The image comes with the new issue of Empire Magazine, which also introduces a younger Albus Dumbledore (played by Sherlock Holmes' Jude Law), Leta Lestrange (Rough Night's Zoë Kravitz), and Maledictus (Avengers: Age of Ultron's Claudia Kim).

Johnny Depp, who first revealed himself as the true Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, reprises his role as the eponymous villain.

Depp's casting has caused a controversy online following spousal abuse allegations. Harry Potter and Wizarding World creator J.K. Rowling, who scripts the Fantastic Beasts franchise, stood by Depp's casting in a statement released earlier this month.

"The agreements that have been put in place to protect the privacy of two people, both of whom have expressed a desire to get on with their lives, must be respected," Rowling said of the divorce between Depp and ex-wife Amber Heard.

"Based on our understanding of the circumstances, the filmmakers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies."

Rowling came under fire for the statement, and studio Warner Bros. officially offered their support to the decision to proceed with Depp in the role.

"I can only tell you about the man I see every day: He's full of decency and kindness, and that's all I see," said Harry Potter veteran David Yates, who maintains his role as director with the Fantastic Beasts sequel. "Whatever accusation was out there doesn't tally with the kind of human being I've been working with."

Stars Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler and Ezra Miller also reprise their Fantastic Beasts roles.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald opens November 16.

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