Before he apparated into the Fantastic Beasts films as a leading magizoologist, Eddie Redmayne’s Newt Scamander was just a typical Hogwarts student. Well, sort of – the young Hufflepuff was expelled from the Harry Potter wizarding school after a mysterious ‘incident’ with a magical beast that almost killed a few people. But before that blip, he was your typical young Hufflepuff: nervously brandishing his wand alongside fellow students.
We don't need a time turner to tell you that – a new photo of a flashback scene from Fantastic Beasts sequel The Crimes of Grindelwald (via EW) shows a fresh-and-scared-faced Newt (acting newbie Joshua Shea) alongside his transfiguration professor of the time, Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law).
Although seemingly not pictured here, The Crimes of Grindelwald will also feature a younger version of Leta Lestrange, the witch who enjoyed a close friendship with Newt at Hogwarts. “Leta, it’s one of those relationships where there was definitely great love there,” Redmayne told EW about Lestrange, the adult version of whom will be played by Zoe Kravitz.
“But was it ever a full-blown relationship? I don’t know. But certainly, she’s somebody who has touched him hugely. At the beginning of this film you realise she’s now in a relationship with Newt’s brother so, of course, that comes with great complications.”
And that brother, respected auror Theseus Scamander, will be played by War & Peace star Callum Turner. He joins a cast that also includes Katherine Waterston (Newt’s US love interest Tina Goldstein), Alison Sudol (Tina’s sister Queenie) and Dan Fogler (lovable muggle Jacob Kowalski).
And yes, as controversial as his casting remains, Johnny Depp will return as Grindelwald.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald will be released November 16, 2018
