On the red carpet last night, J.K. Rowling revealed that the Fantastic Beasts series will span 19 years, while fiercely defending Johnny Depp’s casting.
A few weeks back there was a shock to the system when it was announced that the Fantastic Beast trilogy was expanding (EXPANDING!) to five movies. This was quite the shocker, since the first movie hadn’t even hit theaters yet. It’s also a suggestion that the producers are that confident that the movie will be a spellbinding hit and that they were no longer worried if Fantastic Beasts II: Frenchified Bugaloo would be greenlit.
It also suggested that whatever the original story the movies were planning on telling, the focus had changed. That was confirmed when *very* late in the game it was announced Johnny Depp, the once heartthrob turned disgraced has been actor, had been added to Fantastic Beasts and would be taking on a large role going forward. To say added to the first movie is a stretch. All they did (according to insiders) was add a very short prologue scene with nothing but the back of his head to the beginning of the movie and called it a cameo, suggesting this was not a framing originally planned.
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 10: Novelist J.K. Rowling attends the ‘Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them’ World Premiere at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center on November 10, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Ben Gabbe/Getty Images)
So why the extension of these movies, which some fans didn’t even register was going to be a trilogy at all yet? Turns out because J.K. Rowling has her eye on a much larger story to tell: that of the earlier Wizarding War, back in the 1940s that ended when Grindelwald was defeated by Dumbledore.
Harry Potter author @jk_rowling explains the decision to make 5 #FantasticBeasts movies pic.twitter.com/yWm2Fw3Mht
— Variety (@Variety) November 10, 2016
She confirmed this on the red carpet last night. Speaking to Variety, she said:
"“Originally, to tell you the truth, we said ‘a trilogy’ as a placeholder. We were feeling our way, and then there came a point in the drafting of the story… where I could see an arc to five. It came out of the material…. it’s ambitious to tell it in five, to be honest, because it’s spanning 19 years.”"
Along with that reveal (what is it with Rowling and 19 years anyway?), she also found herself under question for the casting of Johnny Depp at all. Not only was he already box office poison and a major hasbeen after three too many pirate films, but he has now been revealed as an accused domestic abuser. That may not matter in a society that couldn’t give a fig about rape culture, but Rowling herself has always been a proponent of a society that does not tolerate violence against women.
Perhaps proving the patriarchy is just that strong, even Rowling refused to admit this might be a mistake of movie quintet killing proportions. According to The Mirror, Rowling insists she was delighted with his casting, and that he had “done ‘incredible things’ with his portrayal of dark wizard Grindelwald.”
Next: David Heyman and Dan Fogler Talk Johnny Depp Casting
We’ll have to see how that goes. Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them will be out for us all to judge together on November 18th.