'Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them' Casting Update: Dan Fogler Joins The Cast As Jacob

Dan Fogler has joined the cast of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” reports indicate. The script of the movie was written by the author of the “Harry Potter” book series, JK Rowling. Production of the movie is yet to begin.

Deadline reported Fogler has been selected to play the role of a character called Jacob in the forthcoming movie. The report noted Jacob is a nonmagical person who meets the protagonist of the movie Newt Scamander [Eddie Redmayne] in New York City. Scamander is a magizoologist who searches and documents magical creatures.

Fogler has been part of many movies and TV shows over the years. He is known for his work in the 2008 “Kung Fu Panda” movie. He has also been a part of movies like “School for Scoundrels,” “Good Luck Chuck” and the 2015 movie “Barely Lethal.” He also had roles in such TV shows as “The Good Wife,” “Hannibal” and “Robot Chicken.” He will next be seen in the movies “Making the Day” and “Custody.”

EmpireOnline reported actors like John Krasinski, Michael Cera and Josh Gad have held meetings with studio executives before Fogler was finally selected for the role in “Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them.” The report noted the movie will be the first of a trilogy and the timeline in the movie is about 70 years before the events in the “Harry Potter” movies.

EmpireOnline said Jacob is the rival to Scamander even though Deadline reported the character “befriends” the protagonist in the movie. He speculates the character may “turn out to be a problem” for Redmayne’s character, even without his magical powers.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them” is slated to be released Nov 18, 2016, in the U.S. The movie will be directed by David Yates, who has directed the last four of the eight “Harry Potter” movies that were based on the books written by Rowling. The franchise will be returning to the movie theaters with the forthcoming movie after a gap of five years.