Warner Bros. and J.K. Rowling have just announced, via Rowling’s Facebook page, that Rowling has signed on to return the world of Harry Potter to the big screen. Rowling is writing the screenplay for a film based off the Potter world book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The film will follow the adventures of the book’s fictitious author, Newt Scamander.
In the FB post Rowling explains that WB had originally approached her about making a movie based on the book and as she thought about it she decided that she didn’t want anyone else writing a screenplay but herself so she pitched her own idea. We’re sure Warner Bros. was more than happy to have her come aboard as it gives the film some serious Potter street cred and makes it look less (just a little) like a cash grab. Rowling also emphasizes that this is not a sequel or a sequel, but a film simply set in the world of Harry Potter. Even more exciting is that this is just the first film in a new film series, so we’ll probably be getting a lot more adventures of Newt Scamander since there’s about a 1 in bajillion chance that this won’t be a hit.
So, what about it, Potter fans? Glad the woman is returning?
Here’s what she had to say:
Warner Bros. announced on 12th September 2013 that J.K. Rowling would be making her screenwriting debut with ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’, the first in a new film series which is part of their expanded creative partnership with J.K. Rowling. The films will be inspired by Harry Potter’s Hogwarts textbook of the same name, and will feature the book’s fictitious author, Newt Scamander.
“It all started when Warner Bros. came to me with the suggestion of turning ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ into a film. I thought it was a fun idea, but the idea of seeing Newt Scamander, the supposed author of ‘Fantastic Beasts’, realized by another writer was difficult. Having lived for so long in my fictional universe, I feel very protective of it and I already knew a lot about Newt. As hard-core Harry Potter fans will know, I liked him so much that I even married his grandson, Rolf, to one of my favourite characters from the Harry Potter series, Luna Lovegood.
As I considered Warners’ proposal, an idea took shape that I couldn’t dislodge. That is how I ended up pitching my own idea for a film to Warner Bros.
Although it will be set in the worldwide community of witches and wizards where I was so happy for seventeen years, ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ is neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but an extension of the wizarding world. The laws and customs of the hidden magical society will be familiar to anyone who has read the Harry Potter books or seen the films, but Newt’s story will start in New York, seventy years before Harry’s gets underway.
I particularly want to thank Kevin Tsujihara of Warner Bros. for his support in this project, which would not have happened without him. 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.”
