We all knew that Eddie Redmayne will be playing Newt Scamander in the live-action adaptation of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them“, but we didn’t know who were going to take up the rest of the key leading roles.
Now, the mystery is nearly solved as a slew of actresses have been shortlisted to portray Tina and her older sister Queenie.
Multiple insiders told TheWrap that Saoirse Ronan (“Hanna”), Dakota Fanning (“The Twilight Saga“), Lili Simmons (“Hawaii Five-O”), and Alison Sudol (“Dig”) are being eyed by Warner Bros. and director David Yates for the role of Queenie while Kate Upton (“The Three Stooges”), Katherine Waterston (“Steve Jobs“), and Elizabeth Debicki (“The Great Gatsby“) are being shortlisted to play Tina.
Not much is known about their characters, except that Tina could be modeled after the wife of Scamander, Porpentina. In the books, Porpentina lives her retired life with her husband, together with their 3 pet Kneazles (a cat-like magical creature which appeared in the Harry Potter books) in Dorset. It is unsure if any of the actresses are interested in the movie or available for the production, but several of them have already been offered test deals. A script reading is scheduled for this coming week, with Redmayne expected to read alongside some of the actresses.
Justin Kroll of Variety also took to Twitter to disclose that 3 actors, namely Steve Zissis (“Togetherness”), Zack Pearlman (“The Virginity Hit”), and Dan Fogler (“Barely Lethal”), are testing for the role of Jacob, who is apparently the rival to the titular character.
The Wrap thew a word of caution, informing readers that casting “is still early in the process” and there’s a possibility that a few more actors and actresses might be thrown into the mix in the near future. Warner Bros. did not respond for a request to comment.
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” is a 2001 fantasy book written by J.K. Rowling. The book was first mentioned in “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”, and served as a textbook for the first years in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. In 2001, after the success of the “Harry Potter” franchise, Rowling decided to publish 2 more standalone books and the aforementioned title was included in the series.
Rowling took up the role of scriptwriter for the movie adaptation, which will see Scamander as the central character. The script is being kept under wraps, with only a few insiders having the chance to read it. It was further reported that “a breakdown has been circulating throughout Hollywood’s top talent agencies”.
The fictional magiczoologist’s story is set in New York, 70 years before the start of Harry Potter’s tale. The movie is described as “an extension of her familiar wizarding world, featuring magical creatures and characters inspired by Harry Potter’s Hogwarts textbook and its fictitious author”. It will also contain “the laws and customs of the hidden magical society”, which “will be familiar to anyone who has read the “Harry Potter” books or seen the films”.
The movie, which is slated for release on 18th November 2016, is intended to be the first of a trilogy. David Heyman, who produced all 8 “Harry Potter” films, has signed on as the producer for the first instalment.
Sources: The Wrap, Justin Kroll’s Twitter, Wikipedia
