J K Rowling's 'Fantastic Beasts' to be turned into trilogy

Movies slated to release in 2016, 2018 and 2020; Rowling will write the screenplay herself

Just when you begin to think the Harry Potter world has come to a standstill, news about the franchise resurfacing is thrown your way.

News on the street is that Warner Bros has announced that the book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be turned into a trilogy – with the first movie expected to be released in 2016, and the other two expected to be released in 2018 and 2020, respectively.

A tweet from a reporter of the Wall Street Journal Ben Fritz quotes Warner Bros CEO Kevin Tsujihara as saying the textbook will be "at least a trilogy".

"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" will be "at least a trilogy," says Tsujihara. First 3 movies in 2016, 2018 and 2020

— Ben Fritz (@benfritz) October 15, 2014

The book is first mentioned in the first part of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and was also released for Potterheads (term used for crazed Harry Potter fans) to purchase.

The book, which is memorabilia for some, was penned by the author of the Potter series, J K Rowling, but has been credited to a fictional character named Newt Scamander. Funds brought from the sale of the book were used for charitable purposes.

The book itself has no mention of The Boy Who Lived as it was authored seven decades before Potter ever used it.

Interestingly, Rowling herself will write the screenplay for the movies, according to NDTV.

“I thought it was a fun idea, but the idea of seeing Newt Scamander, the supposed author of Fantastic Beasts, realised by another writer was difficult,” Rowling said.

“Having lived for so long in my fictional universe, I feel very protective of it,” she said, explaining her decision to write the screenplay.

No announcement has been made on who would be cast for the movie, neither is there any word of any appearances from any of the stars from the series itself.