J K Rowling confirms plans for five Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them films

Rowling made the announcement after making a surprise appearance at a global fan event
Emma Powell14 October 2016
The Weekender

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Harry Potter fans have been treated to the news that J K Rowling is planning five Fantastic Beasts films.

The author confirmed the news at a global fan event in London’s Leicester Square after making a surprise appearance.

The news comes one month before the first instalment Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them - which marks Rowling's debut as a screenwriter – is released.

Speaking at the event Rowling said: "We always knew it was going to be more than one movie, and we said a trilogy as a place holder.

In character: Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander
Warner Bros

"But I've done the plotting properly and I'm pretty sure it's going to be five movies."

Fantastic Beasts is set around 70 years before Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger attend Hogwarts - and long before Professor Dumbledore takes over as headmaster.

It follows Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) as he time travels and documents the unusual creatures he comes across in his book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Redmayne joined Rowling at Thursday night’s event alongside his co-stars Katherine Waterson, Dan Fogler and Alison Sudol as well as director David Yates.

The Oscar winning actor admitted to feeling "enormous pressure" when he took on the role of the magizoologist.

"I felt enormous pressure because we were all fans and grew up watching these films," he said. "Going to see a Potter film every day was like diving into the warm place that made you feeel happy about the world.

"We had quite high expectations on ourselves because we didnt want to screw sit up, but once we read the script we realised that it was all those things we were familiar with from J K Rowling's world."

Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them is set for UK cinema release on November 18.

Fantastic Beasts Posters

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