Last week’s news about J.K. Rowling penning the first film in a “Harry Potter” spin-off series caught everyone by surprise. Few authors are as protective of their characters as Rowling , especially those from the wizarding world, so the least shocking element of the news was her heavy involvement.

But how closely will Rowling work on the project? The initial press release from Warner Bros indicated that the best-selling author would write the first screenplay for the series based on “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” which will follow the fictional book’s author, Newt Scamander.

Now a new story from The Hollywood Reporter gives us a better idea of the role Rowling will play in the series.

The THR story is mostly about how new WB CEO Kevin Tsujihara is doing great things for the company, but it also contains a good deal of new info about how he reached an agreement with Rowling to make more Potter-verse films.

According to THR, Rowling will write the screenplay for the first film all herself, and if WB wants another screenwriter to rewrite it, Rowling will have to approve the process.

As for the rest of the films in the series, Rowling will have script approval, so even if she is not writing the film herself, she will ultimately dictate the direction in which the series goes.

So for fans that were ever worried that the rest of the series might not stay true to Rowling’s vision, especially since there are no books to use a blueprints, worry not. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” appears to be safely in Rowling’s capable hands.

[Source: moviesblog.mtv.com]