
David Yates, who directed the last few ‘Harry Potter’ movies is near to completing talks in order to helm J.K. Rowling’s spinoff ‘Fantastic Beasts,’ which is based on a reference book, which Harry and his friends had access too during their time at Hogwarts.
Rowling will make her screenwriting debut with the story of Newt Scamander, but the movie is neither a direct prequel or sequel to the ‘Harry Potter’ movies.
The movie is set in New York about 70 years before the Harry Potter series, and centres on Newt’s supernatural adventures.
Yates previously directed four films in the Harry Potter franchise, starting with ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ and ending with ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.’
Although Yates and Warner Bros are still negotiating Variety reports that the deal is near completion.
The filmmaker is currently working on an adaptation of ‘Tarzan’ – which stars Alexander SkarsgĂ„rd and Christoph Waltz – through to November.