Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them Interviews – J.K. RowlingPosted by Melissa Unger

November 17, 2016

Hitting theaters in 3D and IMAX on November 18, 2016 from Warner Bros. is Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, an all-new adventure returning us to the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling.

Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything”) stars in the central role of wizarding world magizoologist Newt Scamander, under the direction of David Yates, who helmed the last four “Harry Potter” blockbusters.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident…were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” also stars Katherine Waterston as Porpentina “Tina” Goldstein; Tony Award winner Dan Fogler as Jacob; Alison Sudol as Tina’s sister, Queenie; Ezra Miller as Credence; two-time Oscar nominee Samantha Morton as Mary Lou; Oscar winner Jon Voight as Henry Shaw, Sr.; Ron Perlman as Gnarlak; Carmen Ejogo as Seraphina; Jenn Murray as Chastity; young newcomer Faith Wood-Blagrove as Modesty; and Colin Farrell as Percival Graves.

The film marks the screenwriting debut of J.K. Rowling, whose beloved Harry Potter books were adapted into the top-grossing film franchise of all time. Her script was inspired by the Hogwarts textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, written by her character Newt Scamander.

At her New York press conference, we catch up with the novelist turned screenwriter J.K. Rowling along with the cast and crew to get the dish on JK Rowling’s latest film. This one kicks off the brand new, set of five, film franchise. Oh, we got the scoop on what beasts to expect on the big screen.

Rowling admits she never planned to revisit the Potter-verse. “I have been aware since the end of Harry Potter that there was still a huge hunger, and I think it would be easy to say I’ll just keep producing it, but I never was that person. I planned seven books and I knew exactly what I wanted to write and that story was finished.” However, she loves the character of Newt Scamander, saying “I was intrigued by Newt and the truth is when I was asked, ‘Will you write more?’ In the back of my mind was Newt.” Never having planned to write her first screenplay for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, it was really the character of Newt which drove her creatively. She reveals, “I sat down to write some notes [on Newt], and then I wrote the story [and screenplay].” She stresses to her fans that, “This [story] is what I really, really wanted to write. This [story] hasn’t been created in response to I need.” She explains there is no Harry Potter. “He hasn’t been born yet,” she declares.

As for her character of Newt, played by Eddie Redmayne, Rowling describes him as “very British,” as he ventures into New York City with his beasts in a suitcase for the first time. She adds, “He needed to go to America to be taught that people can be likeable.” Rowling jokes, “Newt isn’t a guy who really has a lot of friends….He’s much more comfortable with things that are spiky and furry.”

As for the beasts, Rowling admits changes had to be made. “The beasts were interesting because there were a couple that were always in the movie, and then we swapped [out] because we just thought it would make a more interesting [story]. There were some escapades that we wanted to put in [the movie] so we swap some of the beasts.” She clarifies, “it just felt better….I think everyone is going to want a Niffler after this [movie].” As far as the design of the creatures, she confesses, “I was involved in that [too].”

As for the next four films in the franchise, Rowling said very little; however, she did mention Dumbledore. She reveals, “Obviously it is a five-part story, so there are lots to unpack in that relationship, [but] I will say that you will see Dumbledore as a younger man and quite a troubled man because he wasn’t always the saint.” She adds, “You know this is just the beginning,” as she explains “we will see him [Dumbledore] and what I think is the formative period in his life as far as his sexuality is concerned. Watch this space very closely.”

Rowling’s other baby, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, is currently on stage in London. So will we see Fantastic Beasts coming to Broadway anytime soon? To that Rowling says, “There is no plans to put Fantastic Beasts on stage.”

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them opens nationwide on Friday November 18th, 2016.

Final Trailer

Ezra Miller Explains the ‘Harry Potter’ Connection in ‘Fantastic Beasts’

Clip – Welcome To New York

Clip – Setting Dangerous Creatures Loose

Clip – Newt vs the Niffler

Clip – Giggle

Clip – Bowtruckle

Clip – Case Full Of Monsters

Clip – Just A Smidge

Clip – Strudel

Featurette