David Yates Will Direct Harry Potter Spin-Off: Fantastic Beasts!

I have extreme skepticism when it comes to the trilogy JK Rowling is writing spun off of her wafer-thin book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.  She’s never written a screenplay before.  She’s in Harry Potter’s world, but long before most of the characters would have lived.  She HAS to make this Newt Scamander, who will be the protagonist of the series something special.  A very good first step was bringing back David Yates to the Potter-fold.  Yates directed more Potter films than anyone (four).  A good working relationship between Rowling and the director is going to be critical because I have a feeling she’ll be a PRESENCE on the set in the way few screenwriters are.  Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will open November 18, 2016.  Read Variety’s full-take on the return of Yates below.