Well, we all thought we’d heard the last of the wizarding world of Harry Potter – at least until the remakes (which probably won’t be too far away judging by how quickly Hollywood felt it was OK to reboot spiderman). However, J.K. Rowling has announced there will be a new Harry Potter spin-off film and – most excitingly – the screen play will be written by her!
The film will be called Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them – as you probably remember, she wrote a book of the same name a few years back and the film will be based on the fictional author who is said have written it, Newt Scamander. Details on how many films have not been released, but it is said that this will be ‘the first in a planned series’ all featuring the same character. Interestingly, the film will start in New York, 70 years before the Harry Potter story begins.
So, this news has only just been announced and J.K. Rowling, therefore, hasn’t said a massive amount, but what she has said is as follows:
“It all started when Warner Bros came to me with the suggestion of turning Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them into a film.
“I thought it was a fun idea, but the idea of seeing Newt Scamander, the supposed author of Fantastic Beasts, realised by another writer was difficult. Having lived for so long in my fictional universe, I feel very protective of it and I already knew a lot about Newt.
“As hardcore Harry Potter fans will know, I liked him so much that I even married his grandson, Rolf, to one of my favourite characters from the Harry Potter series, Luna Lovegood.
“As I considered Warners’ proposal, an idea took shape that I couldn’t dislodge. That is how I ended up pitching my own idea for a film to Warner Bros.
“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.
“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 under way.”
I have to say that I’m pretty excited. Harry Potter is a huge part of our culture and the films seemed to bring a lot of unlikely groups of people together (children, teenagers and adults). Also, the fact that the film studios will once again be able to play about with mystical creatures should be awesome, because the forth film (whilst not the best adaption) had some incredible digital creatures.
I guess the question that remains is ‘when is it coming out?’ Well, my guess would be a good few years. J.K. Rowling is said to be working on sequels to The Cuckoo’s Calling, not to mention playing a pivotal-role in the TV adaption to her Casual Vacancy novel. Still, good to see her busy again after a few years hiding in the shadows.
So what do you guys think? Excited?
Geoff Matthews
Julia Kitvaria Sarene
Got so excited I split Dr Pepper all over my laptop, fizzy stickyness and icecubes aside… Hope this isn’t an internet hoax.
Nah. It is on Telegraph, BBC & J.K. Rowling’s Facebook. Mugglenet are doing a special podcast on it soon, so probably worth tuning into that for some good speculative chatter 🙂
So excited about this! It sounds fun 😀
I was talking to my roommate about this last night, and I think we’re both hoping that it’s half documentary-style. Not likely, really, since that would probably bore a good number of people in a theatre, but I think it would still be kinda cool that way. (Then again, I’m the sort of person who watches documentaries for fun, so a mockumentary about hunting down and discovering magical creature would be right up my alley!)
When I first heard about this, I may have done some very girly squealing. But now, after a few days of gleeful abandon, I have to admit that I’m worried. The Harry Potter movies were successful in large part due to the personal connection to the characters – specifically Harry himself. The Hogwarts world and associated mythology that Rowling created was amazing, no doubt, but I hope this is enough to carry the second series. Newt Scamander is going to have to be a very compelling fellow…
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