Eddie Redmayne ‘Mind Blown’ with ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ Script

With Eddie Redmayne's repertoire and accomplishment as an Oscar-winning actor as the lead in The Theory of Everything, one would assume the 34-year-old actor to have no doubts getting any role he wants. Apparently, this doesn't seem to be the case at all for Redmayne.

Speaking to Pottermore, the actor revealed that he thought J.K. Rowling's script for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is so mind-blowing, he thought another actor would be getting the role.

The Danish Girl actor, who secured a nomination for the film, told Pottermore:

There was no question I wanted to do this movie. For me, it was a question of whether I'd get the gig. When I read J.K. Rowling's script, I just had my mind blown. I was so excited by it. The amazing thing was that I found it funny, I found it a thriller, I found it romantic. At the end, I was deeply moved by it.

Redmayne plays the character Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Since he's an employee of the British Ministry Of Magic, Scamander's job has led him acquire the possession of a magical briefcase which expands to accommodate a host of dangerous but fantastic beasts, hence the movie's title. The conflict in the story begins when the briefcase opens by a crack, allowing a pandora's box kind of event that lets the creatures escape. The incident involves not only danger to the lives of muggles and wizards, but the relationship of the two beings as well.

Redmayne is joined by Katherine Waterston, Don Fogler, Samantha Morton, Ezra Miller, Don Fogler, Colin Farrell, Ron Perlman, and Jon Voight.

From what I can glean of the trailers and Redmayne's claim, Fantastic Beasts appears to feature more than just the magical world that audiences have come to love in the Harry Potter movie series. Worth noting as well is the fact that the film is the first time that Rowling has written a screenplay. I have no doubt the movie is in safe hands.

Directed by David Yates, who helmed the final four Harry Potter movies, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is slated for release on November 18.