David Yates has spent pretty much his entire feature-film directing career in the world of Harry Potter. He joined the franchise in 2007 with Order of the Phoenix and directed the next four movies, wrapping up with Deathly Hallows: Part 2. So it's safe to say the man loves the wonderful wizarding world of Harry Potter.
And now he's going back to it.
THR has just revealed that Yates is in negotiations to direct the Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, due in theaters on November 18, 2016. This will be the first Potter-related screenplay that's actually written by creator J.K. Rowling. It takes place some 70 years prior to Voldemort failing to murder a young boy, leaving him with a lightning-bolt scar on his forehead. It follows the adventures of wizard Newton Scamander as he's tasked with putting together a book about the world's, well, fantastic beasts.
There is no start date set yet (Yates is currently filming Tarzan, starring Alexander Skarsgard), but Fantastic Beasts may kick off the next big franchise for Warner Bros., so expect more and more news about it to start rolling in.
