New Harry Potter Movie Spin-Off: 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'

J.K Rowling, author of The Harry Potter book series has singed a new deal with Warner Brothers, the studio that brought the books to the big screen. Rowling has agreed to write the screenplay for a new spin-off franchise set in the "Wizzarding World." The new movie Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be based around the fictitious Hogwarts textbook of the same name.

The Harry Potter films are considered the most successful series ever. The eight movies combined have grossed nearly eight billion dollars, making them, as of 2012, the highest film franchise of all time. It's no wonder that Warner Brothers would tap into that well again.

The studio and author J.K Rowling announced on Wednesday that they now have plans to produce a new series based on Rowlings 2001 companion to the Harry book series, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Don't expect the new series to feature Daniel Radcliffe or any of the other old cast members.The new film series will revolve around fitictious textbook author and Magizoologist, Newt Scamander.

Rowlings released a statement about the new direction:

"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. 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, 70 years before Harry’s gets underway.”

Rowlings, who has never written a screenplay before, cites her strong connection to character and her seemingly unstoppable imagination as the reasons for tackle the new project herself:

“It all started when Warner Bros. came to me with the suggestion of turning Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them into a film. I thought it was a fun idea, but the idea of seeing Newt Scamander, the supposed author of Fantastic Beasts, realized by another writer was difficult. Having lived for so long in my fictional universe, I feel very protective of it and I already knew a lot about Newt. As hard-core Harry Potter fans will know, I liked him so much that I even married his grandson, Rolf, to one of my favourite characters from the Harry Potter series, Luna Lovegood. As I considered Warners’ proposal, an idea took shape that I couldn’t dislodge. That is how I ended up pitching my own idea for a film to Warner Bros."