Dave Hogan/Getty ImagesGet excited, Harry Potter fans!
J.K. Rowling, author of the wildly popular book series, has just announced a new Harry Potter-inspired movie franchise!
"Warner Bros. announced on 12th September 2013 that J.K. Rowling would be making her screenwriting debut with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the first in a new film series which is part of their expanded creative partnership with J.K. Rowling," Rowling wrote on her Facebook page this morning. "The films will be inspired by Harry Potter's Hogwarts textbook of the same name, and will feature the book's fictitious author, Newt Scamander."
Rowling continued, "It all started when Warner Bros. came to me with the suggestion of turning Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in a film. I thought it was a fun idea, but the idea of seeing Newt Scamander, the supposed author of Fantastic Beasts, realized by another writer was difficult. Having lived for so long in my fictional universe, I feel very protective of it and I already knew a lot about Newt. As hard-core Harry Potter fans will know, I liked him so much that I even married his grandson, Rolf, to one of my favorite characters from the Harry Potter series, Luna Lovegood."
The 48-year-old explained that her new flick won't be a prequel or a sequel to Harry Potter's story, "but an extension of the wizarding world. 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, seventy years before Harry's gets underway."
Rowling concluded the announcement, "I always said that I would only revisit the wizarding world if I had an idea that I was really excited about and this is it."
And fans seem pretty happy about the big news. Since posting the message several hours ago, Rowling's announcement already has almost 40,000 likes on Facebook!
Are you excited for Rowling's new series? Sound off below!