Cert: 12A
★★★★☆

Much has been made of the controversy surrounding Johnny Depp’s early exit from the latest installment in the Harry Potter prequel franchise, Fantastic Beasts. The troubled actor was set to reprise his role as evil mastermind Gellert Grindelwald for the third time, but after a series of scandals and a lengthy court case involving a UK tabloid newspaper, Depp was swiftly replaced by Hannibal and Another Round star Mads Mikkelsen.

David Yates (Harry Potter, The Legend of Tarzan) is once again on directing duties, while Harry Potter author J.K Rowling and writer Steve Kloves have provided the screenplay. Elsewhere, Jude Law reprises his role as young Dumbledore, while Eddie Redmayne takes a backseat as his Newt Scamander character is overshadowed by an exciting array of new and old characters played by Ezra Miller, Jewish comedian Dan Fogler and Jessica Williams (HBO Girls, Booksmart).

Set in the 1930s, the story leads up to the Wizarding World's involvement in World War II. As Gellert Grindelwald plots to start an all out war against the Muggle world, Newt, Dumbledore and Eulalie Hicks (Williams, exquisite) rally around to put a stop to his madness. Despite a seemingly unbreakable magic bond between him and former lover Grindelwald, Dumbledore leads Newt and his friends from Germany to Bhutan where things finally come to a head.

This is a welcome return to form for the embattled franchise after a disappointing and lacklustre second instalment in 2018. Unlike its predecessors,The Secrets of Dumbledore feels more anchored in the Harry Potter folklore, which should delight fans of the original franchise. Yates, Rowling and Kloves have given us an engaging story peppered throughout with some funny, heartfelt and exciting action sequences.

Elevated by two magnificent performances courtesy of Law and Mickelson, The Secrets of Dumbledore feels more grown up and darker than anything we’ve seen from this franchise before. Granted, the film does rely heavily on nostalgic "Pottermania" tropes, but in the end, one can’t help but feel that fuzzy familiar feeling of unbridled joy at the prospect of new magical adventures. 

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is on general release from Friday