The Grindelwald actor claimed that not only were Heard's allegations lies but that she had been the abuser in the relationship and that she had orchestrated a 'hoax.' Later that same year, it was reported that Warner Bros. The discussion of the actor continued to dominate talk about the movie long before and up to its release, with even some talk of a boycott, as reported by Digital Spy - Rowling herself admitted that 'there will be those who are not satisfied with our choice of actor in the title role.' While WB, Rowling, and director David Yates stuck behind their decision to cast the Johnny Depp Grindelwald character, the backlash only intensified in the lead-up to the second movie's release, especially after it was titled Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, ensuring Depp's dark wizard would play a very central role. Based on our understanding of the circumstances, the filmmakers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting, but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies.' I understand why some have been confused and angry about why that didn’t happen.

As David Yates, long-time Potter director, has already said, we naturally considered the possibility of recasting. Harry Potter fans had legitimate questions and concerns about our choice to continue with Johnny Depp in the role.

He’s part earnest conservationist in the David Attenborough mould, part hapless innocent in the vein of Henry Fonda in The Lady Eve, and Newt has barely arrived in America before he finds himself in trouble with the Magical Congress (Macusa).'.Around the time of filming his cameo in the first movie, stories had appeared in the press that deeply concerned me and everyone most closely involved in the franchise. He delivers much of his dialogue staring at people’s shoes or elbows, only risking the shyest of self-effacing glances to meet their eyes. All pigeon-toed angles and stuttering rushes of enthusiasm, his great gift to the character is a crippling diffidence. As the book’s author, Newt Scamander, Eddie Redmayne gives an endearingly gauche turn. A prequel of sorts, the film takes as its starting point the origins of the wizarding school textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The main injection of fresh blood is into the cast. Bustling 1920s New York is gorgeously realised by a judicious teaming of regular Potter designer Stuart Craig and urban dystopia specialist James Hambridge ( Hellboy, The Dark Knight), while four-time Potter director David Yates transitions effortlessly from Hogwarts to the wider world, thanks in part to a deft screenplay by JK Rowling.

Fantastic beasts and where to find them