Warner Bros. Acquires Rights to ‘Beast and Bethany’ for ‘Harry Potter’ Producer David Heyman (EXCLUSIVE)

Justin Kroll
·2 min read

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Warner Bros. has acquired the rights to the Jack Meggitt-Phillips novel “The Beast and Bethany” with “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” producer David Heyman attached.

The debut novel from Meggitt-Phillips won’t be published by Egmont until 2021, but has already sparked interest from several suitors after debuting at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

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Described as “Lemony Snicket meets Dorian Gray,” the book is slated for spring 2021. The story follows a shallow man named Ebenezer Tweezer and a young girl named Bethany, and the prospect of at least one of them getting eaten by a beast in the attic.

Heyman and Warner Bros. have a strong relationship dating back to the multi-billion-dollar “Harry Potter” franchise and the Oscar-winning “Gravity.” Their collaboration includes the “Harry Potter” spinoff “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” The studio was also aggressive in landing “Willy Wonka” for Heyman, which tells the origin tale of the classic Roald Dahl character. “Paddington” helmer Paul King is directing that pic, which is currently looking for its title character.

Heyman recently landed two best picture Oscar nominations for producing Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time In Hollywood” and Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story.” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” grossed $374 million at the worldwide box office and delivered Brad Pitt his first Oscar for acting. “Marriage Story” earned Laura Dern her first Academy Award.

Heyman is currently in pre-production on the third installment in the “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” series.

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