Eddie Redmayne Is the Frontrunner to Lead HARRY POTTER Spinoff FANTASTIC BEASTS

Eddie Redmayne won an Oscar for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything — is he going to have a shot at turning that acting magic into a role that involves a world of magic? According to Variety, Redmayne is the favorite to play Newt Scamander, the main character in the Harry Potter spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them trilogy.

Sure Redmayne has an Oscar on his shelf, but Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them could be the biggest role in his career. After turning the seven Harry Potter books into eight blockbuster movies, Warner Bros. hopes to rekindle that fire by adapting the short Fantastic Beasts into a trilogy. JK Rowling herself will adapt the material for the big screen with David Yates, who helmed the final four Harry Potter movies, directing the film.

Besides The Theory of Everything, Redmayne's résumé has a few other key roles on it: The lead in My Week With Marilyn, a supporting role in Les Miserables and a part in the unfortunate Jupiter Ascending.

Variety reports that Mad Max: Fury Road and X-Men: First Class star Nicholas Hoult is also in the running for the role of Newt Scamander.

The first Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them movie is due to hit theaters on Nov. 18, 2016.