We reported earlier this month that theHarry PotterspinoffFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Themis in negotiations withEddie Redmaynefor the lead role of Newt Scamander. Today we have a new report that casting is heating up for the two female lead roles, with Warner Bros. settling on their short lists for each part.Kate Upton(The Other Woman),Katherine Waterston(Inherent Vice) and Elizabeth Debicki (The Great Gatsby) are the studio’s top choice for the role of Queenie.Saoirse Ronan(Lost River),Dakota Fanning(Every Secret Thing),Lili Simmons(Banshee) and Alison Sudol (Dig) are up for the role of Queenie’s younger sister, Tina. No further character details have been released at this time.
Another report reveals that Warner Bros. is also currently casting the role of Jacob, the rival to the lead character Newt Scamander. Front runners for that role includeSteve Zissis(Her), Zack Pearlman (The Virginity Hit) andDan Fogler(Barely Lethal). It isn’t known if any of these actresses or actors will be available to take on the role, but several of them already have test deals in place, withEddie Redmayneset to read alongside them over the next week. There may be other actresses in the mix for these two roles, but no specific names were mentioned at this time.Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Themwill reportedly launch a trilogy of spinoffs, but it isn’t known if these roles will be featured in all three films, although that is likely the case.
David Yatesis directingFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Themfrom a screenplay byHarry PotterauthorJ.K. Rowling. The story is set in New York City, roughly 70 years before the events of theHarry Potternovels, following the exploits of Newt Scamader, a “magiczoologist,” as he sets out to write a book about all of the magical creatures he has encountered. The movie’s title comes from the textbook of the same name used byHarry Potterand his classmates at Hogwarts. There is no word on when production might begin at this time.
