Fantastic Beasts: First look at Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander in Harry Potter prequel

Redmayne plays the magizoologist who wrote the famous Hogwarts textbook

The official logo for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, due out 18 November 2016

Eddie Redmayne looks ready (and really quite pouty) to enter JK Rowling’s wizarding world in the first look photo from Harry Potter prequel, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

The Oscar-winning actor is starring as magizoologist Newt Scamander, who wrote the textbook used by Harry and his pals in the hugely popular novels.

He is seen dressed smartly in a long teal overcoat, holding a briefcase and what appears to be some kind of wand on the front cover of Entertainment Weekly.

Behind him is a stairway leading up to the grand golden door of the Magical Congress of the United States of America. Flanked by two gold eagles, it is essentially the US version of the Ministry of Magic. The colour tones are very Great Gatsby, which makes sense as the film is set in 1920s New York, 70 years before the events of Harry Potter.

Eddie Redmayne joins JK Rowling's magical universe as Newt Scamander (Pic: Entertainment Weekly) (Entertainment Weekly)

Not much else has been revealed about the movie yet, but Colin Farrell, Katherine Waterston and Samantha Morton are all joining Redmayne in the cast.

Shooting is already underway but fans can expect to wait a little while yet for the first trailer. In the meantime, the film’s official and decidedly teethy logo has been released to whet your appetite. Expect, predictably, lots of beasts.

Rowling recently hinted that Newt will meet pupils who were educated at an American Hogwarts, but stopped short of revealing its exact name. The most interesting part is that apparently “indigenous magic was important in the founding of the school”.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the first of at least three films, arrives in UK cinemas on 18 November 2016.

The Harry Potter franchise remains the most successful in history, having grossed a massive $7.7 billion in worldwide box office takings.

Read the full scoop in the new issue of Entertainment Weekly, out on Friday and available online