We're getting a brand new Harry Potter movie written by JK Rowling, and the upcoming film now officially has its lead actor.
We previously reported the rumor that Eddie Redmayne was being eyed for the lead role, and now those rumors have been officially confirmed. Warner Bros. has issued a press release making Redmayne's casting official, according to Slashfilm.
Redmayne will be playing Newt Scamander, a magizoologist who travels the world and documents magical creatures. He'll eventually write the textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which we see the characters at Hogwarts reading in Harry Potter. This movie will take place roughly 70 years before the events of the first movie.
What's really interesting about this movie is that we're getting more of the Harry Potter world, but it's a story completely original to film and not really based on the books. It's also being written by JK Rowling herself in her screenwriting debut, and according to Deadline, Rowling has turned in her first draft of the movie.
Fantastic Beasts will be the first of a planned trilogy of films. It will be directed by David Yates, director of the last four Harry Potter movies.
Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them will be released on November 18, 2016.
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