Daniel Radcliffe Won’t Star In ‘Harry Potter’ Spinoff ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’
Daniel Radcliffe is already shutting down speculation that he will appear in JK Rowling’s Harry Potter spinoff series, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
The film is based on the Hogwarts’ textbook of the same name, written by fictitious author Newt Scamander. The film will be Rowling’s first screenplay.
Rowling herself said that while Fantastic Beasts takes place in a “community of witches and wizards,” it isn’t a follow-up to the Harry Potter series.
“Although it will be set in the worldwide community of witches and wizards where I was so happy for 17 years, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but an extension of the wizarding world,” she said.
Radcliffe, who has recently spoken about trying to distance himself from the Harry Potter franchise, said he didn’t know anything about the new series.
“I first thought, ‘Thanks Jo, I’m going to have to answer tons of questions about this now,'” he said. “I’m sure they’re going to have a great time [making it]. I’m sure most people are really excited about it.”
But they’ll have to have a great time without him, he said.
“Needless to say I wouldn’t be involved in it and I guess none of the others [from the Harry Potter films] will be, but I know absolutely nothing about it,” Radcliffe said.
At the Toronto International Film Festival last week, the 24-year-old said he was happy to be moving on from the wizarding world of Harry Potter.
“I’m excited that people will finally get a chance to see me do different stuff. We had a fantastic time doing Harry Potter, but it’s really exciting to move on and doing other things,” Daniel Radcliffe said.
“I’ll always be incredibly proud of it. I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you all if it weren’t for Harry Potter. I have no illusions about that. But I don’t particularly miss it,” he added. “I’m very happy doing other things now.”
[Photo credit: Helga Esteb / Shutterstock.com]
