TV Article Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them casts Colin Farrell in Harry Potter spin-off By Kevin P. Sullivan Kevin P. Sullivan Kevin P. Sullivan is a former staff editor at Entertainment Weekly. He left EW in 2018. EW's editorial guidelines Published on August 5, 2015 12:00PM EDT Photo: Andrew Goodman/Getty Images Colin Farrell is the latest Muggle to join the cast of the upcoming Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, EW has confirmed. The actor, currently starring in the second season of HBO’s True Detective, will join Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, and Alison Sudol. According to the original report by The Hollywood Reporter, Farrell will play a wizard who encounters Newt Scamander (Redmayne) during his journey to study magical creatures in America. The film, which is currently slated for a December 2016 release, will also boast a cadre of Harry Potter alums behind the camera, including director David Yates, producer David Heyman, and first-time screenwriter J.K. Rowling. •Singer Alison Sudol joins Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them •Eddie Redmayne officially joins Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them •Four theories about the location of the American Hogwarts in Fantastic Beasts