Eddie Redmayne has officially signed on to head up Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, with the Oscar-winner set to play adventuring leading man Newt Scamander.

It was reported back in April that Redmayne was in discussions with Warner Bros. and now it seems that a deal has been done, with the studio issuing an official press release announcing the news. He will play the aforementioned Scamander, described here as “the Wizarding World’s preeminent magizoologist”, who penned the fictional textbook from which the film takes its name.

The story will take place in New York some 70-odd years before Harry’s exploits at Hogwarts, as Scamander sets about making his name documenting the many bizarre creatures listed in his book. J.K. Rowling has penned the script herself, while Potter veterans David Heyman and David Yates will produce and direct respectively. The film will open in the UK and US on 18 November 2016.

Story Courtesy of Games Radar