Author J.K. Rowling has begun working with Warner Bros. to develop a new film series inspired by the Harry Potter franchise. It’s probably not the type of spinoff fans were expecting, but it certainly sounds interesting.

Kicking off the newly announced series, Rowling will make her screenwriting debut with Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, an original story based on the Hogwarts text book that appears on a reading list in the first Potter book, Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone. The hope is that this film will launch a new series that features creatures and characters from the Potter mythology, including the textbook’s fictitious author, Newt Scamander. No casting, production details, or potential release dates have been revealed at this time.

Just to be absolutely clear, Fantastic Beasts will not be a prequel or sequel to the Harry Potter franchise. As Rowling describes in a press release:

“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,” said Rowling. “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.”

In addition to the film series, Fantastic Beasts will also be developed across the Studio’s video game, consumer products and digital initiatives businesses, including enhanced links with Pottermore.com, Rowling’s digital online experience built around the Harry Potter stories.

We will be covering the development of Fantastic Beasts heavily in the months/years to come. Comment below and let us know if you have any interest in returning to Rowling’s world of magic.

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James Shotwell

James Shotwell is the founder of Under The Gun Review. He loves writing about music and movies almost as much as he loves his two fat cats. He's also the co-founder of Antique Records and the Marketing Coordinator for Haulix. You should probably follow him on Twitter.

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