Stephen Fry to host BBC's 'Fantastic Beasts' special

Jan. 8 (UPI) -- BBC One is working with Warner Bros. and London's Natural History Museum on a one-hour, television special called Fantastic Beasts: A Natural History.

Comedian and television personality Stephen Fry will host the documentary.

"Footage from the BBC Natural History Unit's extensive treasure trove of archive content, alongside spellbinding scenes from the Fantastic Beasts films will show how closely real world animals, mythological creatures and wizarding world beasts are intertwined," a network press release said.

The movies are based on the magical stories and creatures of Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling.

"I could not be more delighted to be a part of this magnificent opportunity for us Muggles to show the wizarding world that the fantastic beasts in our world are more than a match for theirs," Fry, who also narrated the Harry Potter audio books, said in a statement Wednesday. "Joining forces with the combined powers of the fabulous BBC, its legendary Natural History Unit and the magical Natural History Museum we hope to be able to bring you closer than you've ever been to some of the most spectacular and extraordinary creatures ever seen."

A related exhibition called Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature is slated to open at the museum this spring.

Rowling's Harry Potter books have been adapted as eight blockbuster movies, which were released theatrically 2001-11. They were followed by the prequels Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in 2016 and Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald in 2018.