J.K. Rowling Teams with Warner Bros. for New Film Series

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 12 (UPI)–Author J.K. Rowling will write the screenplay for an upcoming film series inspired by her “Harry Potter” series.

Warner Bros. Entertainment announced Rowling will write the first film in the series, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” The Hollywood Reporter reported Thursday.

The film is based on a textbook used by Harry Potter when he attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and follows the book’s fictitious author, Newt Scamander.

“Although it will be set in the worldwide community of witches and wizards where I was so happy for 17 years, ‘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,” said Rowling. “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 under way.”

“We are incredibly honored that Jo has chosen to partner with Warner Bros. on this exciting new exploration of the world of wizardry which has been tremendously successful across all of our businesses,” said Warner Bros. Chief Executive Officer Kevin Tsujihara. “She is an extraordinary writer, who ignited a reading revolution around the world, which then became an unprecedented film phenomenon. We know that audiences will be as excited as we are to see what her brilliant and boundless imagination conjures up for us.”