Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne is circling the lead role in the upcoming Harry Potter spinoff ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’….
Eddie Redmayne — fresh off his Oscar win for his role in ‘The Theory of Everything’ — is closing in on a deal to play Newt Scamander, the lead role in the upcoming Harry Potter spinoff, ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’.
Redmayne has been the frontrunner for months but he was holding out until he had a chance to read the script before actually committing interest to the project.
‘Harry Potter’ creator J.K. Rowling wrote the script for the film that’s based on a textbook inside of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry that follows ‘magiczoologist’ Newt Scamander as he travels the globe in search of various magical creatures. The story takes place about 70 years before the events of the ‘Harry Potter’ novels.
Once Redmayne read the script he officially opened negotiations for the film with his representatives speaking to Warner Bros. about closing a deal.
‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ is set up as a series of films mostly likely spiraling out into at least a trilogy. While the movies will take place in the same universe of ‘Harry Potter’, the new movie is not seen as a prequel of any kind ot he story Rowling already wrapped up with her book series and subsequent films of the same name.
The movie is expected to be released on November 18, 2016.
H/T: Variety
