Eddie Redmayne officially set for "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"

Eddie Redmayne is off to find some fantastic beasts.

The actor has officially signed on to star in the upcoming "Harry Potter" spinoff film "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," Warner Bros. announced Monday.

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Redmayne will play Newt Scamander, a "magizoologist" in the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling. Scamander's story begins in New York City, 70 years before the events of the seven "Harry Potter" books.

"Eddie Redmayne has emerged as one of today's most extraordinarily talented and acclaimed actors," Greg Silverman, President of Creative Development and Worldwide Production for Warner Bros. Pictures, said in a statement announcing the news. "We are thrilled to welcome him into J.K. Rowling's wizarding world, where we know he will deliver a remarkable performance as Newt Scamander, the central character in 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.'"

The project, the first movie in a planned trilogy, marks Rowling's screenwriting debut. David Yates (who directed the final four "Harry Potter" films) is directing.

"Fantastic Beasts," based on the Hogwarts textbook of the same name, is due to arrive in theaters on Nov. 18, 2016.

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