Inside the Magic: The Making of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Ian Nathan

      ‘It just won me over,’ he says. ‘I felt invested in the four central characters, all of whom are actually grown-up children. That was what was fascinating about them. They are all quite pure. They are all trying to make their way in this bigger, grown-up world.’

      In other words, it allowed him to flex a whole variety of storytelling muscles – Fantastic Beasts was emotional, funny, romantic, and twisted and scary all at the same time. ‘Jo has such dexterity,’ he says, ‘she can write a scene that’s utterly ­playful and witty yet has an authenticity to it.’ As well as making some daring tonal shifts without ever jarring the flow of the story: from Newt’s ­slapstick, to Jacob’s yearning, to Tina’s determination, to poor, damaged Credence who is mistreated by his authoritarian mother.

      Everyone who has worked with him, can’t speak highly enough of the level-headed filmmaker. Cast and crew tell of his calm under pressure; that measured approach. But also his ability to fully understand the needs of whichever department has come looking for insight, and an almost magical gift to communicate with those fantastic beasts otherwise known as actors.

      ‘He doesn’t miss anything,’ says Jon Voight. ‘His little notes to us are very specific and detailed. Elia Kazan, who did On the Waterfront, listed the things a director had to be: a psychiatrist, a doctor, a plumber, a builder – all these things. He has to understand the machinery. He has to orchestrate all of it and then work with human actors. David Yates is one of those fellows.’

      ‘He’s extraordinary really,’ agrees Eddie ­Redmayne. ‘I mean, the scale of these films – I’ve never witnessed anything like it. You have so many departments that you’re shepherding, and what is amazing is that he manages to galvanize all of them, while remaining focused on the characters.’