What was the name of J.K. Rowling’s first screenplay in the Wizarding World franchise?

J.K. Rowling’s first screenplay in the Wizarding World franchise was Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

The 2016 film was written by Rowling and directed by David Yates. It follows magizoologist Newt Scamander in 1926 New York, where magical creatures escape from his case and become entangled in tensions between the magical and non-magical communities.

The film title comes from a fictional Hogwarts textbook mentioned in the Harry Potter novels. Rowling had previously published a charity companion book using that title in 2001, but the 2016 production was her first screenplay.

The film began a planned five-film series, although only three films were released by 2022. Its story takes place decades before Harry’s time and introduces characters including Albus Dumbledore, Gellert Grindelwald, and Newt Scamander.