Disney believes it has found the successor to Harry Potter. The company has acquired the film rights to Katherine Rundell's 'Impossible Creatures' series, the first author since J.K. Rowling to top children's book charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom. Rundell has signed a seven-figure publishing deal to expand the series from an initial trilogy to five books.
'The Neverfear,' the third installment releasing on September 1, blends 'Die Hard with a Vengeance' with the Labors of Hercules. The plot follows Christopher, a boy with a strong connection to animals, and former princess Anya as they gather rare components from magical creatures scattered across the Glimouria archipelago to save their kidnapped friend Irian. Respect for animals and the natural world is a central theme of the series.
The book mixes whimsical danger and clever literary references, such as a reinterpretation of the Ship of Theseus serving as a metaphor for resilience. Although the antagonist Astor Morax feels too reminiscent of Voldemort, the novel offers everything one could want from a young adult fantasy adventure: magical creatures, character growth, and a descriptive style that fully immerses the reader in another world.
Katherine Rundell is currently working on the screenplay for the 'Impossible Creatures' film, but in the meantime, her books are worth reading to understand why Disney found them so magical. 'The Neverfear' will be available in all major bookstores starting September 1.
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