Eddie Redmayne Signs On for 'Harry Potter' Spinoff

BY Josiah HughesPublished Jun 2, 2015

Eddie Redmayne (whose name, it should be noted, would be a perfect moniker for a rising rapper) is currently riding a high thanks to his Oscar-winning turn in The Theory of Everything. He'll likely achieve even more fame with his latest announcement, however — he's been cast to star in a new Harry Potter spin-off franchise.

Redmayne will star as Newt Scamander in the new David Yates-directed film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. As all Potter nerds already know, Fantastic Beasts is Hogwarts' magic zoologist textbook, which was written by Scamander.

Warner Bros.' Greg Silverman announced Redmayne's involvement in the film earlier this week. "Eddie Redmayne has emerged as one of today's most extraordinarily talented and acclaimed actors," he said. "We are thrilled to welcome him into J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World, where we know he will deliver a remarkable performance as Newt Scamander, the central character in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling will write the film, marking her debut as a screenwriter. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is set to hit theatres on November 18, 2016.

 

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