Today seems like a good day for Potterheads aka fans of “Harry Potter” to cry tears of joy.
The anticipation for Warner Bros‘ upcoming “Harry Potter” prequel/spin-off film, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them“, is getting higher because without any warning, several movie stills have surfaced online.
Set in New York City during the 1920s, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is a trilogy series centres on Newt Scamander, a preeminent “magiczoologist” and the author of the Hogwarts textbook of the same name. The story follows the adventures of Scamander and the magical community in the Big Apple.
J.K. Rowling, who completed the script for the film adaptation last November, said:
ALTHOUGH IT WILL BE SET IN THE WORLDWIDE COMMUNITY OF WITCHES AND WIZARDS WHERE I WAS SO HAPPY FOR 17 YEARS, “FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM” IS NEITHER A PREQUEL NOR A SEQUEL TO THE “HARRY POTTER” SERIES BUT AN EXTENSION OF THE WIZARDING WORLD.
Both Eddie Redmayne (of “Theory of Everything” fame) and Nicholas Hoult (of “Mad Max: Fury Road” fame) were previously eyed to star in the spin-off as Scamander.
But after much deliberation, Redmayne emerged as the top choice as the studio confirmed that he will be taking on the role.
Earlier in June, it was reported that Ezra Miller has signed on for the role of Kredan, “a person with magical powers” who encounters Scamander “when he stops in New York City on his travels to find and document magical creatures”.
Alison Sudol, who is perhaps best known for her musical moniker “The Fine Frenzy”, is making the leap from singing to acting by joining the cast as Queenie Goldstein, the younger sister of Tina (played by Katherine Waterson) and “a witch who operates in the US”.
Dan Fogler, who briefly appeared in Bryan Fuller’s “Hannibal“, was also cast as Jacob Kowalski, Scamander’s rival in the film. Colin Farrell, will, however, play Graves, another wizard that Scamander meets in New York.
David Yates, who directed the last 4 “Harry Potter” movies, is helming “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”. David Heyman, who produced all 8 of the blockbuster “Harry Potter” features, will serve as the producer of the spin-off movie alongside Rowling, Steve Kloves, and Lionel Wigram, who served as an executive producer on the last 4 installments of the franchise.
The film, which is intended to be the first of a trilogy, will see its release in cinemas on 18th November 2016.
