'Fantastic Beasts 2' involves a magical circus and we can't freaking wait

We couldn't tell you where to find fantastic beasts, but we can point you to all the latest details about Fantastic Beasts.

Shooting on the sequel began Monday, July 3, and to mark the occasion, Warner Bros. has shared a whole bunch of new info about the as-yet-untitled film. Here's what you need to know.

1. All the major characters from the first film are returning.

That includes Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, Katherine Waterston as Tina Goldstein, Alison Sudol as Queenie Goldstein, and Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski, plus Johnny Deppas Gellert Grindelwald, Ezra Miller as Credence, Zoë Kravitz as Leta Lestrange, and Kevin Guthrie as Abernathy.

How exactly Newt winds up reuniting with his pals from the first film remains to be seen, as the Fantastic Beasts sequel, written by J.K. Rowling, takes the gang to London and Paris. Whatever happens, though, expect lots of drama – the official synopsis teases that "his mission will also test their loyalties as they face new perils in an increasingly dangerous and divided wizarding world."

2. Plus, some new folks are joining the cast.

Those joining the franchise for the first time include Jude Law as young Dumbledore and Callum Turner as Newt Scamander's big brother, a war hero Auror named Theseus.

We can also look forward to meeting a wizard named Yusuf Kama (William Nadylam) and a bounty hunter named Grimmson (Ingvar Sigurdsson).

Oh, and also ...

3. A magical circus is involved.

We're not sure yet how, but it's telling that two of the new key characters are associated with a wizarding circus. One of its attractions is an unnamed young woman played by Claudia Kim (Avengers: Age of Ultron), and the whole thing is run by Skender, played by Ólafur Darri Ólafsson.

Hmm ... interesting that Kim's is the only new character announced so far whose name has not yet been revealed. Maybe it means nothing. Or maybe her identity is being kept secret because it's a big, fat spoiler.

4. It's Dumbledore vs. Grindelwald.

Fantastic Beasts ended with Gellert Grindelwald being unmasked and taken into custody. Apparently, though, he didn't stay behind bars for long. The sequel picks up a few months later and sees Grindelwald escaped from prison and attracting a more robust following than ever. It's up to Albus Dumbledore to stop him, with some help from his former student Newt.

Which is gonna lead to a lot of complicated feelings, no doubt. As Potterheads know, Albus and Gellert weren't just BFFs – Albus was in love with Gellert before their entire relationship fell apart. It should be interesting to see how (or if) the Fantastic Beasts sequel lets that dynamic play out onscreen.

5. And of course, there will be Easter eggs aplenty.

Per the press release: "There are also some surprising nods to the Harry Potter stories that will delight fans of the books and film series."

In other words, keep your eyes peeled when Fantastic Beasts arrives in theaters November 16, 2018. And then continue keeping your eyes peeled, because this is just the second entry in a planned five-film series.