J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them may star Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne, as he’s just been offered the lead role of Newt Scamander. Last month Variety reported that the Brit was the frontrunner for Scamander, a “magic zoologist,” who studies the titular “fantastic beasts," but according to sources, Redmayne was waiting on a finished script before thinking about signing on. He’s now seen the script and is reportedly “happy” with it.
The first installment in the Beasts trilogy—which will see Harry Potter director David Yates return—with a screenplay penned by Rowling herself, is expected in 2016.
Set 70 years before the events of Harry Potter, here’s how Rowling described the spinoff:
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UPDATE June 1: Eddie Redmayne is officially playing Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Warner Bros. made the announcement today and announced a release date for the film: November 18, 2016.
[via Variety]
