In a new report from The New York Times, Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara revealed some exciting news about the Fantastic Beasts film(s). There will be three films in the series and according to another report, they are slated to begin production in 2015.
Wherever he learned the skill, his deft touch became clear to Hollywood’s creative community last September. That is when Warner announced that Ms. Rowling had agreed to adapt for the big screen her “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” a 2001 book billed as one of Harry Potter’s Hogwarts textbooks. Three megamovies are planned. The main character will be a “magizoologist” named Newt Scamander. The stories, neither prequels or sequels, will start in New York about seven decades before the arrival of Mr. Potter and his pals.
Convincing the famously independent Ms. Rowling to dive back into film was a coup. “When I say he made ‘Fantastic Beasts’ happen, it isn’t P.R.-speak but the literal truth,” Ms. Rowling said in response to emailed questions. “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!”
TotalFilm have emailed this morning to let us know of a fun new feature they posted: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Complete Guide. It is basically a timeline and starts off in 2011, when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II came out and goes through all the steps since then. That includes the Studio Tour, Pottermore, Jo’s newer novels and going back to when she wrote the companion books (Tales of Beedle the Bard, Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them and Quidditch Through the Ages.) The list also includes some of Warner Bros. other films such as their hits and misses and why they may be taking this direction. It finishes up with multiple slides on the actual films themselves and what we know so far and predictions on who will be cast and direct.
Visit Total Film to read the full list. A short excerpt from the guide is below:
Stop the Presses
On 12 September, Warner broke the news that the world of Harry Potter would be returning to the big screen in the form of an adaptation of the aforementioned Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them.
Described as neither prequel or sequel, the film will follow the adventures of the book’s fictional author, Newt Scamander, with Rowling confirmed as the project’s official screenwriter.
“The idea of seeing Newt Scamander, the supposed author of Fantastic Beasts, realised by another writer was difficult,” explained Rowling in an official statement. “As I considered Warner’s proposal, an idea took shape that I couldn’t dislodge. That is how I ended up pitching my own idea for a film to Warner Bros.”
Safe Pair Of Hands
In a sensible move designed to establish some continuity between the new film and those that had gone before, Warner re-signed David Heyman to resume his position as producer, a slot he had occupied on all previous entries in the Potter saga.
“I can’t talk really about it yet,” said Heyman, when asked about the new project recently. “All I can say is that it’s great. Jo had no need to go back to this universe or world.”
“It’s not Harry Potter per se, but the world of Harry. She’s chosen to do so because she felt a need to tell a story. That she’s doing it means that it’s going to be very, very special.”
Over the past few days a few past Potter stars have commented on the upcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film, which will be produced by Potter producer David Heyman. Mugglenet chatted to Ralph Fiennes who played Voldemort in the films who said he would be open to reading the script (to possibly direct.) This has no bearing on actual film news, it’s just interesting to see that he would consider it.
Daniel Radcliffe and Alan Rickman also talked about the film with MTV:
“I don’t think I’m going to be coming back…. We can’t be doing these characters when we’re 40, so there has to be a line drawn,” Radcliffe said. He wouldn’t, however, say “no” definitively “because I never know what Jo [Rowling] is going to write, but at the moment I’m in the same position that everyone else is in — waiting to hear what information is coming out because I don’t know anything about these new films.”
“I don’t really know what she’s doing,” Rickman said. While he answered the question as diplomatically as Radcliffe, unwilling to rule out an appearance, he had the same reservations. “I suppose I’m wise enough to never say ‘never,’ but I’m dead so I don’t know where I’m going to be scrapped back from. I’m so dead.”
It has been announced this morning that Harry Potter producer David Heyman will indeed be producing the new Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them series! He confirmed the news to Entertainment Weekly at the premiere of his film, Gravity, yesterday evening.
[…] said that Rowling hasn’t turned in a finished script just yet, but that “Jo is at work” and tremendously excited about the project. “She’s not doing it for any other reason other than she loves the world and she had a story that she wanted to tell,” he said.
“It’s incredibly exciting,” he continued. “She doesn’t have to go back to this world, but something pulled her back. This is not Harry Potter. This is not Harry, Ron, and Hermione. This is a separate story within a universe related to the Potter universe.”
When asked about which creatures we might see in the film — you better believe I brought up quintapeds and lethifolds — Heyman demured. “We follow Newt on his adventures,” he said, grinning.
The producer said Rowling has no shortage of plot ideas for Fantastic Beasts because she knows Newt Scamander’s history so thoroughly — after all, she created him. “The fact that she’s going to this world means there are stories to tell,” he said. “When I was doing the Harry Potters, what was clear to me is that Jo’s knowledge of this world is infinite. What you read in the books was just the surface of her knowledge. She had notebook upon notebook of stuff. I would call her and say, ‘What’s the sixth use of dragon’s blood?’ and she’d have it at her fingertips.”
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.
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