12h 20min, nov 11, 2020 y - HOLLYWOOD INSIDER Johnny Depp & JK Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts: How To Salvage A Cursed Franchise?

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Johnny Depp & JK Rowling’s ‘Fantastic Beasts’: How To Salvage A Cursed Franchise?

By Christopher Davis

In November of 2016, the first entry in the Fantastic Beasts franchise hit theaters. This story would serve as a prequel to the eight Harry Potter films and have its own series that would expand the universe of Rowling’s wizarding world. Although these movies are not based on novels in the same way the previous films were, Rowling returned to the pen, screenwriting the films herself. Eddie Redmayne took on the role of the protagonist, Newt Scamander, and it was his star power, along with that of his co-stars like Ezra Miller and Colin Farrell, that launched the franchise into a new age. The film was met with great anticipation from fans, reaching a weekend box office debut of over $74 million; however, it met mixed reviews from critics. The film’s 2018 sequel, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, released to a similarly mixed reception. As the third film of this series has recently been pushed back to a July 2022 theatrical release, apparently due to COVID restrictions, the fate of the offshoot franchise struggles to realize the effortless magic of its beloved predecessor.

Johnny Depp’s Ongoing, Yet Unconfirmed and Still Alleged Case Impacting the Franchise

In the era of social media and supposed “cancel culture”, there have been few major film franchises as riddled with controversy as Fantastic Beasts. After the unprecedented success of the initial films, it is almost ludicrous to imagine just how vulnerable to objection an adjunct series could become. The criticism of the Fantastic Beasts franchise arose with news of Johnny Depp’s casting as the major antagonist of the series, Grindelwald. Although Depp had been celebrated as one of the best actors of our time, tides had begun to turn against the star in the months before the release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them when his ex-wife, Amber Heard, filed for divorce and accused Depp of physical abuse. In May of 2016, the news broke of Heard’s allegations against Depp, and despite the actor’s denial of Heard’s claims, the public was not quick to let Depp off the hook for these grave charges.

In recent years there has been a surge in women demanding that their voices are heard and believed when denouncing the abuse they have received from men, specifically men empowered by the public support that comes with fame and fortune. The massive attention and admiration that the #MeToo movement garnered in 2017 serve as a fine example of how the discourse surrounding the abuse of women has shifted over the years and speaks to how the majority of Americans have finally reached a place of compassion for women who are too often the victims of abuse from men in powerful positions.

While taking into consideration to wholeheartedly support the women who have been victims and survivors of abuse, we must also take into account fake accusers who are wrongfully utilizing the #metoo movement to attack innocent people. Johnny Depp’s case in regards to Amber Heard seems to be one of confusion and unconfirmed allegations. There happens to be a massive number of supporters who believe that Depp is innocent and Heard is wrongfully abusing the #metoo movement. This sentiment is met with vast support as Heard has allegedly been a physical abuser herself in her relationship with Depp as well as her previous relationships. Due to both sides having allegations, this case is not one of confirmed verdict.


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