Arts writer
MUGGLES and wizards alike will be delighted to hear that prinicipal photography has begun on Warner Bros. Pictures’ highly anticipated feature Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Filming on the new movie, written by wizarding world creator JK Rowling, was started on Monday at Warner Bros. Studios, Leavesden, under the direction of David Yates, who helmed the last four Harry Potter feature films.
The all new adventure is set in the world created by Rowling in her best-selling Harry Potter books, which were adapted into the highest-grossing film franchise of all time.
Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne ( The Theory of Everything) stars as Newt Scamander, the wizarding world’s pre-eminent magizoologist, who stops in New York following his travels to find and document magical creatures.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them also stars Katherine Waterston ( Inherent Vice) as Tina; Alison Sudol ( Dig, Transparent) as Tina’s sister, Queenie; Dan Fogler ( The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) as Jacob; Ezra Miller ( Trainwreck) as Credence; Samantha Morton ( In America, Sweet and Lowdown) as Mary Lou; Jenn Murray ( Brooklyn) as Chastity; young newcomer Faith Wood-Blagrove as Modesty; and Colin Farrell ( True Detective) as Graves.
Marking the screenwriting debut of Rowling, the script was inspired by her character Newt Scamander’s Hogwarts textbook, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
The film is being produced by David Heyman, producer of all eight of the Harry Potter features; Rowling; Steve Kloves; and Lionel Wigram.
Collaborating with Yates behind the scenes are director of photography Philippe Rousselot, production designer Stuart Craig, costume designer Colleen Atwood, visual effects supervisor Tim Burke, visual effects supervisor Christian Manz, and Yates’ editor Mark Day.
The film is slated for worldwide release in 3D and IMAX in November next year.