Warner Bros. has confirmed that Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne will play magiczoologist Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

David Yates will direct from a script by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, who wrote Fantastic Beasts as an extension of the Wizarding World first depicted in the Harry Potter movies.

Scamander is the Wizarding World’s preeminent magiczoologist, who in his travels has encountered and documented a myriad of magical creatures, ultimately leading to his penning the Hogwarts School textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

"Eddie Redmayne has emerged as one of today’s most extraordinarily talented and acclaimed actors. 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," said WB’s Greg Silverman.

"Eddie is a fearless actor, brimming with invention, wit and humanity. I couldn’t be more excited about the prospect of working with him as we start this new adventure in J.K. Rowling‘s wonderful world, and I know she feels the same way," added Yates, who directed the last four Harry Potter films.

Making her screenwriting debut on the film, Rowling has developed the character of Scamander and his primer — taken from her beloved Harry Potter series — to further explore the unique world she has crafted in print.

Source: Press Release