Lead Cast in 'Harry Potter' Spinoff, 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'
by Shannon Keirnan
Finally! After much talk, British actor Eddie Redmayne has been cast as the lead in the "Harry Potter" spin-off, "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them!"
Warner Bros. Pictures made the announcement Monday that Redmayne has been cast as Newt Scamander, who travels the world discovering and documenting magical beasts in a book later used as a text book in the "Harry Potter" world.
The script, happily, will be penned by J.K. Rowling, and "Harry Potter" director David Yates will be back to direct.
"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," Rowling says.
"The laws and customs of the hidden magical society will be familiar to anyone who has read the 'Harry Potter' books or seen the films, but Newt's story will start in New York, 70 years before Harry's gets underway."
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, therefore, are not expected to appear.
"Eddie is a fearless actor, brimming with invention, wit, and humanity," director Yates said in a news release regarding the choice. "I couldn't be more excited about the prospect of working with him as we start this new adventure in J.K. Rowling's wonderful world, and I know she feels the same way."
The film series is set to be a trilogy, with the first release hitting theaters in November of 2016.