Eddie Redmayne will join the Potterverse as magician and magizoologist Newt Scamander, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Warner Bros. confirmed him in the role today; he had emerged as a frontrunner in April. The spin-off comes from J.K. Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, a slim volume credited to Newt Scamader and containing entries on 75 magical animals. The film adaptation will be a trilogy that takes place in the ’30s as Newt travels the world in search of fantastic magical beasts, penning what eventually becomes Harry Potter’s textbook at Hogwarts.
Not much is known about Newt Scamander and his life, but here’s what can be gleaned from his textbook, the Harry Potter series, and Pottermore:
- A teakettle is his weapon of choice when magical animals attack.
- He was in the Hufflepuff House at Hogwarts.
- He lives in New York City.
- His mother bred Hippogriffs.
- He spent two years in the Office For House-Elf Location at the Ministry Of Magic before joining the Beast Division.
- He has his own Chocolate Frog card.
- His grandson, Rolf, marries Luna Lovegood.
The film adaptation marks Rowling’s first foray into screenwriting. It will be directed by David Yates, who directed Order Of The Phoenix, Half Blood Prince, and Deathly Hallows part one and two.