J.K. Rowling Confirms Harry Potter Spin-Off 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' Film Trilogy
Rowling: 'I said I would only revisit the wizarding world if I had an idea that I was really excited about'
It seems that the world of Harry Potter will live on, even after the end of the final film in the franchise.
It has been confirmed that JK Rowling's Harry Potter spin-off, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, is to be made into a film trilogy.
Published in 2001, the book was originally revealed as one of Harry Potter's textbooks from Hogwarts.
Following the global success of the Harry Potter franchise, Warner Bros chief executive Kevin Tsujihara, reportedly persuaded Rowling to adapt the book for the big screen.
He confirmed to the New York Times there would be a trilogy of films based on the book, which follows a "magizoologist" named Newt Scamander.
I always said that I would only revisit the wizarding world if I had an idea that I was really excited about and this is it.
Set in New York, the book has been described as neither a sequel nor a prequel, but an "extension" of Harry Potter's "wizarding world."
The world famous author confirmed that Tsujihara, the newly appointed CEO at Warner Bros had persuaded her to adapt the book.
"We had one dinner, a follow-up telephone call, and then I got out the rough draft that I'd thought was going to be an interesting bit of memorabilia for my kids and started rewriting," she said.
"When Kevin got the top job, he brought a new energy, which rubbed off. He's a very engaging person, thoughtful and funny."
"I always said that I would only revisit the wizarding world if I had an idea that I was really excited about and this is it," said Rowling when the film was announced last year.
The book, which was written by Rowling between the publication of the fourth and the fifth books in the Harry Potter series, is set 70 years before Harry was born.
Rowling revealed to actress Emma Watson, who played Hermione Grainger in the Harry Potter films, that she completed the draft script in 12 days.
The project will be produced by Harry Potter regular David Heyman, whose recent successes include Gravity.
Aside from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Rowling also wrote the Potter spin-off Quidditch Through the Ages, which was another of Harry's schoolbooks in the films. The Tales of Beedle the Bard, followed in December 2008.
More than 450 million copies of Rowling's seven Potter books have been sold worldwide.
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