For us who simply can’t get enough of the wizarding world of Harry Potter, there is now Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, a J.K. Rowling-scripted adventure that plays out in the same fictional universe that houses her iconic boy wizard. The spin-off, due in November, whirls the action back a decade or nine all the way to 1926, where spritely Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne, one of approximately three British actors who had not already been swept up into the Harry Potter universe) traverses the magical underbelly of New York City on the hunt for a menagerie of enchanted beasties he inadvertently released.
It sounds like an rollicking, elaborately computer-generated good time, and with supporting talent such as Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller and Colin Farrell, it’s got the pedigree to match. David Yates, director of Harry Potter films 5 through 8, will return for this new brand extension, assuaging the anxieties of any fans wary of the winning formula being tinkered with too extensively.
And as we thirst to discover more about the series, a new behind-the-scenes featurette hyping the gestating production surfaced on Monday, offering the Rowling faithful a look into her crystal ball. Waterston, Redmayne, Alison Sudol, and Dan Fogler all give a little background information about their characters, but the real treat is getting a glimpse at the immersive new world that Rowling, Yates, and their crew have magicked up. The enduring appeal of Harry Potter lies in just how easy it is to get lost in the infinitely detailed world of witchcraft and wizardry, and with Fantastic Beasts, they’ll add a sprawling new wing to this monument commemorating imagination.
