SCHOLASTIC AND WARNER BROS. CONSUMER PRODUCTS ANNOUNCE EXTENSIVE GLOBAL LICENSED PUBLISHING PROGRAM FOR THE HARRY POTTER? MOVIE FRANCHISE AND FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM FILMS
(New York, NY ? March 29, 2016) Scholastic, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, in partnership with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, announced today a global licensed publishing deal for children’s books based on the upcoming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them films, as well as the Harry Potter movie franchise. Launching in September 2016, the licensing deal includes world all language rights for children’s movie tie-in books in multiple formats for the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie and its sequels, as well as tie-in books based on the original eight Harry Potter films.
Scholastic’s extensive licensed publishing program includes a comprehensive range of formats, including movie handbooks, coloring and creativity books, guided journals, paper craft books, poster books, and sticker books.
In making the announcement, Ellie Berger, President of Scholastic Trade, said, “As the U.S. publisher that introduced Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to American readers in 1998, we are thrilled to partner with Warner Bros. Consumer Products to complement the expansion of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World. We look forward to bringing the world of these amazing movies to existing fans and a new generation of readers.”
J.K. Rowling’s first seven Harry Potter books, which were adapted by Warner Bros. Pictures into the top-grossing film franchise of all time, were published by Scholastic in the U.S. between 1998 and 2007, have sold over 160 million copies in the U.S., over 450 million copies worldwide, and are distributed in more than 200 territories, translated into 79 languages. To learn more about the Harry Potter books published by Scholastic, visit http://mediaroom.scholastic.com/harrypotter.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them marks the screenwriting debut of J.K. Rowling. Her screenplay was inspired by the Hogwarts textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, written by her character Newt Scamander. The feature film is slated for worldwide release on November 18, 2016, from Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. entertainment Company.
About Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an all-new adventure returning us to the wizarding world created by J.K. Rowling. Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne (“The Theory of Everything”) stars in the central role of wizarding world magizoologist Newt Scamander, under the direction of David Yates, who helmed the last four Harry Potter features.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them opens in 1926 as Newt Scamander has just completed a global excursion to find and document an extraordinary array of magical creatures. Arriving in New York for a brief stopover, he might have come and gone without incident…were it not for a No-Maj (American for Muggle) named Jacob, a misplaced magical case, and the escape of some of Newt’s fantastic beasts, which could spell trouble for both the wizarding and No-Maj worlds. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them also stars Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Samantha Morton, Jon Voight, Ron Perlman, Carmen Ejogo, Jenn Murray, Faith Wood-Blagrove, and Colin Farrell.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was written by J.K. Rowling, marking her screenwriting debut. The film also reunites a number of people from the Harry Potter features, including producers David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram.
