Report: Eddie Redmayne could be lead in 'Harry Potter' spinoff

NEW YORK, April 10 (UPI) -- Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne is the frontrunner to star in Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Sources with knowledge of the casting told Variety the Theory of Everything actor will likely score the role of Newt Scamander in the trilogy, the screenplays for which will be written by J.K. Rowling.

So far the series only has a director -- David Yates -- and an initial release date of Nov. 18, 2016.

The movies will be set seven decades before the start of Harry Potter and are based on the Hogwarts text book of the same name. Scamander is the author of the text book in the wizarding world.

X-Men actor Nicholas Hoult has reportedly also been considered for the role of Scamander.

Redmayne recently won a best actor Oscar for this role as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything, and he just wrapped up filming on The Danish Girl.