JK Rowling: Fantastic Beasts is more Harry Potter preview than people think

'It's more preview-y I think than people realise'

It was previously thought that the upcoming Harry Potter spin-off, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, wasn’t all that linked to the story of the Boy-Who-Lived.

Although set in the same wizarding world, the adventures of Eddie Redmayne’s Newt Scamander take place in the US, so surely there will be few links to familiar characters from the books?

Turns out Fantastic Beasts and the Harry Potter series could share more than first thought. Speaking at the first post-previews Harry Potter and the Cursed Child performance, author JK Rowling hinted the spin-off is more of a preview to the main series.

When asked by the BBC’s Lizo Mzimba whether Harry Potter’s story will continue in other media, Rowling said: "Well it is, because of course I'm doing Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

Pressed on whether the film trilogy will be set in Harry’s world rather than on Harry, she said, with a smile: "It's more preview-y I think than people realise.”

With Fantastic Beasts being set in 1920s, how will the two link? Harry’s Grandparents? A young Dumbledore? Perhaps even Snape?

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them hits cinemas 18 November.