Harry Potter fans will spend this year anxiously waiting for the release of a spin-off film from that magical universe, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. In honor of this year's Harry Potter Celebration, Warner Bros. released a new featurette about the movie, featuring interviews with the cast, as well as showing some behind the scenes footage.
"This world, it's been a wonder really," says star Eddie Redmayne, who portrays Newt Scamander. "It's just unlike anything I've ever been a part of."
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them began as a fictional book set in the Harry Potter novels by J.K. Rowling, as part of the Hogwart's curriculum. Eventually, Rowling released the book to the real world (still attributing Scamander as its author), where it served as a bestiary for creatures known to the Harry Potter universe. Eventually, Rowling worked with Warner Bros. to write a script about the author of that book, Scamander, and one of his many adventures.
In Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, Scamander arrives in New York in the 1920s to meet with an official from the Magical Congress of the U.S. He carries a magical briefcase with him, which serves as a cage for several dangerous creatures. Of course, those creatures escape, and Scamander must not only flee the American wizarding officials because of his screw-up, but also must face an organization that wants to eradicate wizards of all kind.
The movie's script is the first written by author Rowling. The featurette promises the same magical universe that Harry Potter fans are familiar with, but set in a new location in the past.
The featurette also introduces the other three major characters in the film, including wizard sisters Tina and Queenie Goldstein (Katherine Waterston and Alison Sudol) and the muggle Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler).
"All four central characters are outsiders," says producer David Heyman. "Part of the journey of this, for each of them, is coming into themselves."
The film also stars Samantha Morton, Ezra Miller, Colin Farrell, Jon Voight and Ron Perlman.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them opens Nov. 18 in theaters.
