The first look at Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander in the highly-anticipate "Harry Potter" prequel "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" is finally here. Entertainment Weekly revealed the image of the Academy Award-winning actor holding a wand and a "pivotal" briefcase.
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" is an extension of the "Harry Potter" world and takes place in New York City in the 1920's. The screenplay was written by J.K. Rowling herself based off of her 2001 encyclopedia of magical creatures from the wizarding world. The film will center around Scamander, a famous Magizoologist.
Redmayne previously voiced the pressures and excitement he felt in starring in one of the most highly-anticipated films of 2016.
"The stakes are high because they were so good before," he said. "You don't want to screw it up."
"It's a complete privilege for me," he continued. "I love J.K. Rowling. I love the 'Harry Potter' films [and] books so for me this is just the most wondrous gift really."
This is a very exciting time for "Harry Potter" fans. In addition to the "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" film, Rowling is working on a play for London's West End titled "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child." The play is being marketed as "the eighth story" in the Potter franchise and takes place 19 years after the events of the final book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" will be released in theaters on Nov. 18, 2016.
