Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald – cast, trailer and James Newton Howard's soundtrack

13 November 2018, 15:32 | Updated: 19 November 2018, 09:35

The second instalment in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them series is released in cinemas on 16 November. Here's everything you need to know about James Newton Howard's epic score

The much-anticipated second film in J.K. Rowling's Fantastic Beasts series is released this month in the UK. As with the first film, The Crimes of Grindelwald owes much of its magic to a great soundtrack.

Catch up with our Saturday Night at the Movies Fantastic Beasts 2 special: hear interviews with composer James Newton Howard and actors Eddie Redmayne and Katherine Waterston. Click here on desktop, or download the Classic FM app to listen again on mobile.

The music for the film is written by James Newton Howard – who also scored the first film in the series (as well as The Hunger Games films and Disney's new film The Nutcracker and The Four Realms).

How to download the soundtrack for The Crimes of Grindelwald

The soundtrack was released digitally on WaterTower Music on 9 November and is available to listen to on Spotify here, and to download on Apple Music here.

But if you fancy getting your hands on a digital copy, it will be issued as a CD on 30 November, and on vinyl in January 2019.

What does James Newton Howard's soundtrack sound like?

The soundtrack opens with a motif that'll be familiar to almost everyone – Potterhead or not. It's the familiar chimes of John Williams' now iconic Hedwig's Theme.

There are 25 brand new tracks on the album – including three solo piano tracks which aren't included in the film: ‘Dumbledore’s Theme’, ‘Fantastic Beasts Theme’ and ‘Leta’s Theme’.

James Newton Howard said: “To work on Fantastic Beasts is a wonderful musical opportunity. The movie is delightful, substantial, and complex, and director (David Yates) focuses very seriously on the music and is a truly passionate and enthusiastic collaborator.”

James will be speaking exclusively to Classic FM's presented Andrew Collins in a forthcoming episode of Saturday Night at the Movies, this Saturday 17 November. Find out more here.

Discover Imogen Heap's music for Harry Potter and The Cursed Child >

Who's in the cast?

Eddie Redmayne returns as Newt Scamander, this film also stars Jude Law as a young Professor Dumbledore, Johnny Depp as the titular character Gellert Grindelwald, Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone, Zoë Kravitz as Leta Lestrange and Katherine Waterson as Porpentina Goldstein.

Here's the full tracklist for the soundtrack

1 The Thestral Chase
2 Newt and Leta
3 Dumbledore
4 The Kelpie
5 Newt and Jacob Pack for Paris
6 Nagini
7 Newt Tracks Tina
8 Queenie Searches for Jacob
9 Irma and the Obscurus
10 Blood Pact
11 Capturing the Zouwu
12 Traveling to Hogwarts
13 Leta's Flashback
14 Salamander Eyes
15 Matagots
16 Your Story is Our Story
17 Leta's Confession
18 Vision of War
19 Spread the Word
20 Wands into the Earth
21 Restoring Your Name
22 Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
23 Dumbledore's Theme – Solo Piano
24 Fantastic Beasts Theme – Solo Piano
25 Leta's Theme – Solo Piano