‘Fantastic Beasts’ EP On The Reasons Why Johnny Depp Was Cast

Recently, executive producer David Heyman, director David Yates, and author J.K. Rowling all defended Johnny Depp’s casting as the villainous Wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them franchise.

In a new interview, Heyman discusses the reason behind Depp’s Fantastic Beasts casting and what he will bring to the role of Grindelwald.

“It was the end of last year. We filmed it early this year because of availability. What we wanted was an iconic actor to play Grindelwald, because Grindelwald is an iconic character who has a significant place in this story. His ability to persuade the hearts and minds, to persuade people to follow him is essential to this story.”

Of course, we all know that Grindelwald is a very, very dangerous man. The Fantastic Beasts producer believes Depp’s “unpredictability”, which is something that Grindelwald also encompasses, is something the actor can pull off.

“He is dangerous in that way. We were looking for someone who was seductive and could be charming and could be original, who was iconic, who was a great actor; and that’s what Johnny Depp is. He can be irresistible. He’s powerful. He’s created some iconic characters, and not made the obvious choices when doing so. The unpredictability of the choices he makes is part of what makes him so extraordinary and that was very exciting for us. He was the perfect choice for Grindelwald.”

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is now playing in theaters. The sequel is scheduled to hit theaters in 2018.

Source: Collider