J.K. Rowling confirms 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them' trilogy

NEW YORK, March 2 (UPI) -- Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has confirmed that Warner Bros. upcoming wizarding world film, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, will be the start of a new trilogy.

Rowling revealed the news on Twitter Monday while correcting a fan who thought the author's upcoming stage play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child would also be made into a film.

"You heard wrong, I'm afraid," Rowling wrote. "#CursedChild is a play. #FantasticBeasts will be 3 movies, though!"

Set to arrive in theaters Nov. 18, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them acts a prequel to the Harry Potter series and takes place in the United States as magizoologist Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), attempts to hunt down a group of magical creatures who have escaped within New York City.

The text book Scamander writes of his adventure is later read by Harry Potter 70 years later during his time at Hogwarts. Directed by David Yates who helmed the last four Harry Potter films, the spinoff also stars Ezra Miller, Ron Perlman and Colin Farrell.

Revealed as the official eighth story in the Harry Potter series, The Cursed Child is set 19 years after the last chapter in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows and picks up after Harry bids farewell to his eldest sons, James Sirius and Albus Severus at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.

The two-part play based on a story, written by Rowling with Jack Throne and John Tiffany, will premiere this summer in London.