Colin Farrell joins "Harry Potter" spin-off

Los Angeles: Irish actor Colin Farrell has joined the cast of Warner Bros' "Harry Potter" spin-off "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them", which will star Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller and Alison Sudol.

Farrell, 39, will play Graves, a wizard that Newt Scamander (Redmayne) meets in New York, said the Hollywood Reporter.

The story centers on Newt's adventures in the secret community of witches and wizards as he attempts to document magical creatures. The events of Fantastic Beasts take place 70 years before Harry Potter reads Newt's book in school.

Dan Fogler also was recently cast in the film. David Yates is directing the return to JK Rowling's wizarding world, and Rowling wrote the script.

Potter producer David Heyman is back as producer with Rowling. Steve Kloves, who wrote seven out of the eight Potter movies, and Lionel Wigram are also producing. The film is set for release on November 18, 2016.

Farrell is currently starring on HBO's second season of "True Detective".