Warner Bros has now made it official that the two leads in their Harry Potter spin-off FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM will be Eddie Redmayne and Katherine Waterston. Redmayne has been the sole name linked with the lead role of Newt Scamander for months while Waterston was one of six in contention for the leading female roles in the film.
Waterston made her feature debut in the George Clooney film MICHAEL CLAYTON and has since appeared in movies like THE BABYSITTERS, BEING FLYNN, NIGHT MOVES, THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ELEANOR RIGBY, and most recently Paul Thomas Anderson's INHERENT VICE. She is currently filming STEVE JOBS opposite Michael Fassbender. The British actress will play Porpentina, a witch who works in New York City when she meets magizoologist Newt Scamander. Saoirse Ronan, Dakota Fanning, Lili Simmons and Alison Sudol are still in contention for Porpentina's younger sister, Queenie.
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM is set to be the first in a new franchise which would likely see Redmayne and Waterston through at least three movies. The film was scripted by J.K. Rowling alongside HARRY POTTER screenwriter Steve Kloves. David Yates, director of the final three HARRY POTTER films, is directing.
As a fan of the Harry Potter universe, I am excited to see where this film could go. The main characters are already a decade older than the school-aged cast of the original franchise which means we could be seeing a very different type of witchcraft and wizardry in these films. I fully anticipate they will aim for the same tone and style as the final films in the Harry Potter franchise rather than the more family friendly first movies. Here's hoping we find out more soon.
FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM is slated for release on November 18, 2016.
