What is J.K. Rowling’s first published screenplay in the Harry Potter universe?
Answer
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
J.K. Rowling’s first published screenplay in the Harry Potter universe was Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
The screenplay was published in 2016 alongside the release of the film of the same name. It was Rowling’s screenwriting debut and expanded the wizarding world beyond Harry Potter’s school years. The story follows Newt Scamander, a magizoologist who arrives in 1920s New York with a suitcase of magical creatures.
The title comes from a Hogwarts textbook attributed to Newt Scamander. Rowling had previously published a short companion book with that title in 2001 for charity, but the 2016 work is a screenplay for a new cinematic story rather than a film adaptation of the textbook’s brief catalog.
The film launched a planned Fantastic Beasts series and introduced audiences to a different period, setting, and main character within the same fictional universe.