14 DAY TRIAL // Last September, author J.K. Rowling, who penned the seven Harry Potter books on which the 8 movies are based, announced that she would be revisiting the magical universe with Warner Bros., for a standalone film that would precede the Harry Potter story chronologically.
The film would be based on the spinoff novel “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” which is one of the books part of Harry’s curriculum at Hogwarts, and will focus on the story of Newt Scamander, who wrote it.
In a new interview with the New York Times, Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara confirms that they’re actually looking into making “Fantastic Beasts” into a trilogy. He stresses that it will be neither a prequel nor a sequel of the “Harry Potter” franchise, with which it will only have in common being set in the “wizarding world” we’ve come to know through “Harry Potter.”
Chronologically speaking, “Fantastic Beasts” takes place before the events in “Harry Potter” with about 70 years and, unlike this franchise, it is not set in London but New York.
Rowling, who came up with a first draft for the script for the first film in 12 days, tells the NY Times that it was Tsujihara who talked her into going back to this magical universe. Of course, fans will remember that she never ruled out the possibility of doing that when the timing felt right for her.
“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. When Kevin got the top job, he brought a new energy, which rubbed off. He's a very engaging person, thoughtful and funny,” Rowling says.
“I always said that I would only revisit the wizarding world if I had an idea that I was really excited about and this is it,” she continues.
Being set so far apart from the Harry Potter franchise, this new film trilogy will allow Warners to bring back some of the magic on the screen without having to go through the trouble of renegotiating deals with the actors in the original or, more likely, to find replacements for them that would not upset the loyal fans.
“Harry Potter” is one of the biggest-selling film franchises in Hollywood but it was also a hit with critics. Considering the kind of money it made the first time out in theaters, it’s no wonder Warners is trying to bring it back, in one way or another.
However, it’s not just the movie studio that stands to win from this: fans appreciated Rowling’s writing too, as she managed to create a beautiful and wondrous world. Revisiting it will surely be a pleasure, even without Harry Potter and his friends.