The Hollywood Reporter has revealed some new information about how J.K. Rowling decided to screen-write the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them films and what her involvement will be. According to the article, Rowling said that without WB exec Kevin Tsujihara, the deal would not have happened. The article also revealed that sources are saying talks are ongoing with David Heyman to produce the films.
The Rowling deal, more than a year in the making, calls for the author herself to write the screenplay for the first film in a series that will center on Newt Scamander, a Hogwarts alum and author of the go-to textbook Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them (which makes several appearances in the existing Potter canon). Tsujihara flew to the U.K. several times since the spring to meet with Rowling, who sparked to his demeanor.
“Kevin handled himself really well,” says Ken Kleinberg, Rowling’s L.A.-based attorney, who negotiated the deal with her U.K. agent, Neil Blair. “He was a great listener, and he conveyed sincerity and concern.” Tsujihara’s wooing of the demanding author took some studio insiders by surprise. Many didn’t think celebrity schmoozing was part of his skill set.
[…] Robinov, who is negotiating his exit from the studio, played a key early role in smoothing out a rights issue (Warners had movie rights to characters from the Potter universe but not Newt Scamander).
For Rowling, the most important issue was creative control‚ not an easy ask for a first-time screenwriter. Sources say Warners cannot hire someone else to rewrite her script without her approval — a gamble for the studio and a departure from the Potter films, which were written by such seasoned scribes as Steve Kloves and Michael Goldenberg. Rowling also has script approval on subsequent Fantastic Beasts films.
Hypable‘s Andrew Sims had the chance to talk to Harry Potter producer David Heyman today about his newest project, Gravity, and also asked about the new Potter spin-off. He did not say if he was involved in the film, but it sure sounds like he’s invested in it. According to Hypable:
Pressing on, we asked him what his feelings are from the perspective of a fan. “As a fan, as a filmmaker, I am really… really… really excited,” Heyman said to Hypable in what are the first comments from the Harry Potter franchise’s creative team. “She’s a great storyteller, and I’m sure this will be something really great. She wouldn’t do it otherwise – she doesn’t need to do it.”
At least, she doesn’t need to do it because Warner Bros. asked her. He continued, “She’s doing it because she needs to do it because she has a story to tell.”
“It’s going to be very good. I assure you,” he added. Those are big words from one of the closest people connected to the Harry Potter movies.
It has just been announced that J.K. Rowling will be writing the screenplay for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them as part of a new creative partnership with Warner Bros. Fantastic Beasts is going to be part of a series as well as a new video game, consumer products and integrated into their digital initiatives businesses. Of the screenplay Rowling said:
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.
Warner Bros will also be the distributor for the BBC series “The Casual Vacancy,” based on her best-selling first novel aimed at adult audiences. The miniseries begins production in 2014. The full press release may be read by clicking more.
Starting on July 9th, The Museum of Modern Arw will be holding an event called “A View from the Vaults: Warner Bros. Today.” In this series they will be celebrating Warner Bros studio by showing some of their most iconic films. According to the website, “This selection of Warner Bros. productions from the past 20 years, all drawn from MoMA’s collection, illustrates the studio’s continuing commitment to the artistic and commercial legacy of the four Warner brothers, some 90 years later.
The Harry Potter films will be shown from Saturday July 21st through Friday July 26th at the following times and locations:
View the full list of films (including the Batman and Lord of the Rings trilogies) here at the MoMA Website! Tickets can be purchased up to a week in advance either online or at the main lobby information desk.
Thanks to Buzzfeed, that viral site full of crazy articles, we have a fun video to share today! Back in 2001, both Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone and Monsters Inc. came out in theatres. Pixar created a trailer for Monsters Inc that was specifically made to show before Harry Potter. Watch below and enjoy!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I will have it’s television debut on Sunday May 12th during ABC Family’s Red Carpet Weekend. The full lineup is as follows, other films will be airing before and after, such as Hocus Pocus, Hairspray and Twilight, we’ve only listed the Potter times below:
Saturday May 11th
1:00pm – Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
4:30pm – Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
7:30pm – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Saturday May 12th
9:30am- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
1:00pm- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
4:00pm- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
7:30pm – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
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