‘Fantastic Beasts’ Sequel Finds Johnny Depp
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Themhasn’t even hit theaters yet, but the sequel is already casting up.Johnny Deppis set to co-star in the next installment of theHarry Potterspinoff series, whichDavid Yateswill return to direct for release in 2018. In fact, he may even have a cameo role in the firstFantastic Beasts, which opens later this month.Deadlinereports Depp will co-star in the nextFantastic Beasts, but has not yet been able to confirm which character he is playing. However, they mention that he might have a “tiny turn” in the firstFantastic Beasts, which has a lot of fans wondering if he might be playing Gellert Grindelwald. That’s just speculation for now, though, so take it with a big heaping pile of salt. Grindelwald, asFantastic BeastsstarEzra Millerjust recently explained, is a dark wizard who was once a friend of Dumbledore’s.
Depp is coming off of a rough summer.Alice Through the Looking Glassflopped,Yoga Hoserssank without making barely any impression, and Depp was all over the headlines thanks to his very contentious divorce. But his next couple of years are looking up. He’s got anotherPirates of the Caribbeansequel out next summer, and he was recently cast in Kenneth Branagh’sMurder on the Orient Express. He’s also gotThe Invisible Mancoming out in the near future.
It kind of makes sense that Depp would want in onFantastic Beasts, given that he’s had great success with fantastical family-friendly fare likeAlice in WonderlandandPirates, but frankly I find the choice disappointing. A lot of Depp’s recent work has gone past schticky and into just-plain-bad territory — he keeps piling on the makeup, wigs, and thick accents but struggles to actually disappear into a role. Given that we’re stuck with him for at least a coupleFantastic Beastsmovies, though, we can just cross our fingers and hope this’ll be a return to form.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find ThemhitsNovember 18.Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2, or whatever it ends up being called, is scheduled for release onNovember 16, 2018. And here’s hoping you really, really like those two, because Warner Bros. already has a total of fiveFantastic Beastsmovies planned.
