The news just broke that JK Rowling is returning to the world of Harry Potter, but it won’t be a resurrection of Harry. It takes place “in the world,” as we geeks like to say, but it’s a spin off. In fact, to explain it all, Rowling just released a statement, promising what’s in store for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
Rowling isn’t returning to the world of Harry Potter because she needs the money, she’s reportedly a billionaire, but the Wrap reports that she wanted to do something for the charity Comic Relief, and Fantastic Beasts was the result.
“The film is not a sequel or a prequel to the Potter adventures,” Rowling said. “It is set in the same fictional universe…an extension of the wizarding world.” Rowling also added that she wanted to make a movie out of Beasts for some time, but was “very protective” of the franchise.
Still, the idea was one that “couldn’t dislodge” from her imagination, and she set it up at Warner Brothers. Rowling swore she wouldn’t go back to the Potter universe unless an idea really got her going, “and this is it.” Warner Brothers certainly has high hopes for Beasts, and wants to set up a big, money making franchise with it. It certainly won’t be a phenomenon on the level of the original Harry Potter series, but Rowling has a major built in audience that will be there when Beasts is ready.
