May 28, 2015 - 09:58 AMT
Saoirse Ronan, Dakota Fanning eyed for “Harry Potter” spinoff

A series of actresses are eyeing to join "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them". Saoirse Ronan, Dakota Fanning, and Kate Upton are reportedly among the contenders to play two major female characters in the upcoming Harry Potter spinoff, AceShowbiz reports.

TheWrap reports Ronan and Fanning, along with two other actresses Lili Simmons and Alison Sudol, are vying to play the role of Tina. Meanwhile, Upton is lined up with Katherine Waterston and Elizabeth Debicki as candidates for Tina's older sister, Queenie.

Meanwhile, Variety reporter Justin Kroll took it to Twitter to reveal that Steve Zissis ("Togetherness"), Zack Pearlman ("Mulaney"), and Dan Fogler ("Fanboys") are among the actors testing for the role of Jacob, Newt's rival.

Inspired by Hogwarts textbook of the same name, "Fantastic Beasts" is scheduled for December 18, 2016. David Yates sits behind the lens and J.K. Rowling writes the screenplay. Eddie Redmayne is tapped to play the book's fictitious author, Newt Scamander.