Date: 31st March 2014

Harry Potter spin-off 'will be a film trilogy'.


J.K Rowling's Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is to be made into a film trilogy.

The book, published in 2001, was originally billed as one of Harry Potter's Hogwarts textbooks.

Warner Bros chief Kevin Tsujihara persuaded author Rowling to adapt the book for the big screen.

Last week, he told the New York Times there would be a trilogy of films based on the book, which follows a "magizoologist" named Newt Scamander.

Scamander is the author of a guide to magical creatures. Set in New York, the book is neither a sequel nor a prequel, but an "extension" of Harry Potter's "wizarding world", Rowling said.

Last month, Rowling told actress Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, that she completed the draft script in 12 days.

Rowling herself told the newspaper that it was Tsujihara - who took over the role of CEO at Warner Bros last year - who 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 told the New York Times.

"When Kevin got the top job, he brought a new energy, which rubbed off. He's a very engaging person, thoughtful and funny."

The project, which was first announced in September 2013, will be produced by Harry Potter regular David Heyman, whose recent successes include Gravity.

Source: Press Release