: Actors including Eddie Redmayne and Katherine Waterston were given the opportunity to help design their characters' wands.
: To authentically play a magizoologist, Redmayne trained with real zookeepers and animal trackers. He even "stole" Newt's distinct, wide-V walk from a professional tracker he met. Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them
The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film (2016) serves as a significant expansion of the Wizarding World, set 65 years before the original Harry Potter series. Unlike its predecessors, the film is not based on a novel but on a fictional textbook J.K. Rowling originally wrote for charity in 2001. : Actors including Eddie Redmayne and Katherine Waterston
: Producer Lionel Wigram initially suggested the movie be a mockumentary-style documentary following Newt Scamander. The Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
: Before landing Newt, Redmayne auditioned for the role of Kylo Ren in The Force Awakens , but by his own admission, he "bombed" it while trying to imitate Darth Vader's breathing.
: A scene showing a shirtless Newt covered in scars from years of wrangling beasts was filmed to show his dedication, but it was ultimately cut.