As principal photography began today on the new Fantastic Beasts film, Warner Bros. confirmed that Credence will be back, in a ‘mysterious’ way.
The troubled character was revealed to be an Obscurial in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and was a figure of fascination for Dark wizard Grindelwald.
An Obscurus, or Obscurial, is a dangerous, magical force that occurs in repressed wizards who withhold their magic. The climax of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them saw Credence seemingly destroyed, although a ‘tendril of black matter’ was seen by Newt escaping the scene.
No-Maj Jacob Kowalski became Newt’s unlikely friend, but had his memory obliviated at the end of the first film. However, the final scene showed Jacob and love interest Queenie reunited in his bakery, and the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them screenplay by J.K. Rowling says that Jacob displays a ‘flicker of memory’ in that moment.
So, the core four characters will be back: Newt Scamander, Tina Goldstein, Queenie Goldstein and Jacob Kowalski, as well as Credence and a host of new characters.
It was revealed in April that two-time Academy Award nominee Jude Law had joined the cast as Dumbledore. The Hogwarts teacher will team up with his former student Newt to take on Grindelwald, in increasingly dark times for the wizarding world.
Warner Bros. also said that the movie, which picks up the story in 1927, would include some ‘surprising nods’ to the Harry Potter stories.
The new Fantastic Beasts film is slated for release 16 November, 2018. The as-yet-untitled film is being directed by David Yates.