J.K. Rowling Updates on ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Script & Cormoran Strike Progress

J.K. Rowling recently took to Twitter to confirm some news about the progress of Fantastic Beasts, and alias Robert Galbraith’s progress on the Cormoran Strike series.

One Twitter user couldn’t take the wait any longer, and demanded to know EVERYTHING about the Fantastic Beasts sequel, asking if Rowling had written the script. Of course, we’re not allowed to know anything yet but she confirmed that the script is indeed finished!

Yes, I have, but I CAN'T TELL YOU ANYTHING YET, WOMAN. https://t.co/PzpjjL0OiR

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 28, 2017

Director David Yates explained to us how the last script for the first movie took form in our interview with him and producer David Heyman last year:

“What Steve [Kloves] and I would do often is we would read the script with her [Jo Rowling], so we’d be in a room like this and we would sit around a table, and I would read twenty pages, then Jo would read twenty pages, and as you read the script it sort of floats into the room in front of you, and you can hear the story, you can feel it, and hear the characters speak. At that process you start to discuss what’s working, what’s not working.”

“The biggest challenge of the script ultimately was to find its tonal balance, because Jo is a very generous writer. There’s drama, there’s comedy, there’s deep, big themes that are complicated and interesting and resonant and political, so there’s a lot of stuff to manage and balance together, and ultimately it’s finding the melody that balances all those things together in a way that feels cohesive.” 

Read the rest of his rather poetic explanation here!

Fans are also awaiting the next Cormoran Strike novel, and after seeing the response to the previous demand, decided that the way to get Rowling’s attention was to yell WOMAN!

She/He’s making steady progress:

He says he's making steady progress, but he's a strange character and I'm not sure I trust him. https://t.co/PFskpR3jHZ

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 28, 2017

A much politer fan asked for clue of the TV show – Rowling has seen most of the series and assures that it’s worth waiting for!

The TV series won't be too long now and I think/hope you'll love it. I've seen all but one episode and I'm delighted! https://t.co/T0lJSB6hvj

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 28, 2017

She also put to rest some rumors about a feud with Harry Potter audiobook reader Stephen Fry after he was reportedly ‘condescending’ during recording (he wasn’t!), and a subsequent ‘revenge’ trick she pulled in response to Fry being unable to say a particular line – we’ve all heard this one and Rowling’s confirmed that it’s not true:

Good story, but it isn't true! @stephenfry wasn't condescending, he was completely lovely, and that phrase isn't in 4 books! #factsmatter https://t.co/yHNjaBwjPJ

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 30, 2017

Here’s a source (reported from a Reddit post) dating from January 2016. That took a while to clear up!

We can’t wait for any and all of the above! What would you most like to know about the next Fantastic Beasts instalment?