After months of speculation, it has finally been confirmed that Eddie Redmayne is to star in the upcoming adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them.
The original cover of Rowling’s book
The actor, who won an Oscar this year for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything – will play magizoologist, Newt Scamander, the fictional author of the book that provides detailed case studies of the many magical creatures that dwell in the wizarding world. The film will reportedly be set in New York, 70 years before the events of Harry Potter.
The President of Creative Development and Worldwide Production, at Warner Bros, Greg Silverman, made the announcement and spoke proudly of Redmayne’s casting;
“Eddie Redmayne has emerged as one of today’s most extraordinarily talented and acclaimed actors. We are thrilled to welcome him into J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, where we know he will deliver a remarkable performance as Newt Scamander, the central character in ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.”
The filmmakers involved on the project include several previous Harry Potter collaborators, including producer David Heyman and director of the last four films, David Yates. Yates has said that he: “couldn’t be more excited at the prospect of working with [Redmayne] as [they]start this new adventure in J.K. Rowling’s wonderful world.” The film will also provide Rowling with a chance to debut her screenwriting skills, as she adapts her own material into a movie that will further explore the magical world that she first created in the Harry Potter series.
The rest of the film’s cast is yet to be announced, but actresses such as Dakota Fanning and Saorise Ronan have reportedly been approached for the female lead.
The book was originally published in 2001, alongside Quidditch Through The Ages, to support Comic Relief. The book purports to be Harry Potter’s own copy of the textbook – full of doodles and notes by both Harry and Ron – which was originally mentioned in The Philosopher’s Stone.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is set to be released on 18th November, 2016.
You can remind yourself of the last time the wizarding world graced our screens, in the video below.
