Fantastic Beasts is more of a Harry Potter preview than people realise says JK Rowling

Author JK Rowling has previously said that the movie, starring Eddie Redmayne, "will be set in the worldwide community of witches and wizards", that "the laws and customs of the hidden magical society will be familiar to anyone who has read the Harry Potter books", and that that's where the similarities end.

But, this weekend, the 51-year-old let slip something which might contradict all that.

Asked whether we'll see Harry's story continue in some other sort of media, Rowling replied: "Well it is, because of course I'm doing Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."

But that's Harry's world rather than Harry? asked BBC journalist Lizo Mzimba.

Rowling then gave an enigmatic smile, saying: "It's more preview-y I think than people realise..."

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, more of a preview to #HarryPotter than people realise @JK_Rowling tells me. pic.twitter.com/bQWA9Xf25B

— lizo mzimba (@lizo_mzimba) July 30, 2016

Intriguing... So what kind of Harry-related preview could we be talking here? Fantastic Beasts is set in the 1920s which means even Harry's parents aren't around yet. Could we perhaps be meeting his grandparents – or could this be the rumoured details of a young Dumbledore?

As you may remember, his name pops up in the trailer, and according to Dan Fogler, who plays Jacob in Fantastic Beasts, appearances from the existing denizens of Potterworld are certainly on the cards.

“As the stories go along, you will hear mention of your favourite characters,” Fogler told MTV. “And you may meet their young counterparts along the way.”

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be in UK cinemas 18th November