Fantastic Beasts 3 trailer casts a serious spell on Harry Potter spin-off film series

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We all have our secrets

Jude Law and Eddie Redmayne lead the cast of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore
Fantastic Beasts 3 is sure to reveal some key Dumbledore secrets. (Image credit: Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros.)

The official trailer for Fantastic Beasts 3 has arrived – and the Wizarding World is about to be torn in two, based on the film series' newest teaser.

Originally set for release on February 24, but delayed by four days (presumably in light of Russia's invasion of Ukraine), The Secrets of Dumbledore's trailer teases a much darker entry in the Harry Potter spin-off film franchise than we've previously seen.

Check out the new Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore trailer below:

Given the content on show in the film's final trailer, it's understandable why Warner Bros. elected not to release it earlier this month. The Secrets of Dumbledore's latest teaser is packed with footage of multiple wizard battles as Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) and Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen) seek to prevent and destroy the world of Muggles respectively.

A teaser trailer for Fantastic Beasts 3 was released in early January, giving us our first proper look at Mikkelsen's Grindelwald after he replaced Johnny Depp on chief villain duties. Depp departed the project following an unrelated legal case against him in November 2020, with Mikkelsen announced as his replacement that same month.

As the film's trailers have revealed, other key cast members will reprise their roles from previous Fantastic Beasts movies. Law, Eddie Redmayne (Newt Scamander), Ezra Miller (Credence Barebone/Aurelius Dumbledore), Dan Fogler (Jacob Kowalski), and Alison Sudol (Queenie Goldstein) are among those returning.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore will launch exclusively in theaters worldwide on Friday, April 8.

Analysis: is 2022 the year of the Harry Potter renaissance?

Cast of Harry Potter in Return to Hogwarts, 20th anniversary special

The Harry Potter film cast reunited on HBO Max earlier this year. (Image credit: HBO Max)

It's been something of a sticky spell for the Harry Potter franchise in the last few years. With series creator J.K. Rowling becoming embroiled in a number of controversies in recent times, it's understandable that some long-time fans have turned their backs on the Wizarding World's multimedia empire.

Despite those former Potterheads ending their support for Rowling's works and the spin-offs spawned from it, though, Harry Potter is still a hugely popular series. Fans continue to flock to the Harry Potter Warner Bros. Studio Tour in London each year, as well as the Cursed Child West End stage play – proof that the franchise is still beloved by many. Meanwhile, a first edition copy of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone sold for $471,000 (£356,000) in December 2021 (per Reuters).

But it's 2022 where the real Harry Potter renaissance could occur. Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts, an HBO Max unscripted cast reunion special, already drew huge numbers upon release on New Year's Day. And, with Fantastic Beasts 3 releasing soon and a new Harry Potter videogame – Hogwarts Legacy – rumored to launch later this year, 2022 could be the best 12-month period (from a cash generating perspective, at least) in the series' history.

Tom Power
Senior Entertainment Reporter

As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.

An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot.

Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across. Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.