In  a new interview, Harry Potter producer David Heyman discusses the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them script, which was written by J.K. Rowling and will be produced by Heyman. He also discusses his latest film, Paddington, which hits theatres on November 28, 2014.

On Paddington:

‘I still have my Paddington teddy bear from when I was four,’ he says. ‘My mother’s a hoarder.’ Rereading them as an adult, he found them just as appealing. ‘They made me smile, they made me laugh, and I loved Paddington’s good nature, his generosity of spirit. It’s a classic immigrant story in many ways, about someone looking for a home, a place to be, and about a family who see the world afresh through this bear’s eyes.’

On Rowling and the Fantastic Beasts films:

‘[Rowling] is an incredibly generous person,’ Heyman says. ‘She’s one of the most philanthropic people around.’

The first of three new films set in the Harry Potter universe, albeit 70 years before Harry himself was born, it will also be the first film scripted by Rowling. ‘Jo’s a good scriptwriter, too,’ Heyman says. ‘She is so smart, and her turn of phrase, the precision of the language she uses, is a joy to behold.’