We're just a few weeks away from the Wizarding World expanding past the Harry Potter tales and focusing on Newt Scamander's adventures in the early 20th century in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Of course, most of you already know that an entire series of Fantastic Beasts movies has been planned, which means that work is already underway on Fantastic Beasts 2. In case you needed proof of that, the news just broke that Johnny Depp has been added to the sequel.
According to Deadline, Johnny Depp will participate in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2. No details were provided about his character, but apparently moviegoers will be able to spot him in a cameo role during this first movie. If that's the case, that means his involvement was planned long ago. Depp is the second actor who has been named as being part of Fantastic Beasts 2, aside from Eddie Redmayne reprising the main protagonist, Newt Scamander.
Given the vagueness of this announcement, it's hard to say right now who Johnny Depp will be portraying in Fantastic Beasts 2. It could be anyone from a benevolent wizard to a sinister evildoer. Still, many will agree that he'll probably be someone important. You don't cast someone as famous as Depp for just a bit part, and the fact that he's cameoing in the first Fantastic Beasts movie implies that they're setting him up to play an integral role in this series in the sequel and possibly beyond.
Personally, I'm wondering if the Jack Sparrow actor is playing Gellert Grindelwald, the Dark Wizard who went on a reign of terror during the first half of the 20th century. Fantastic Beasts takes place in 1926, which is around the time Grindelwald's attacks in Europe kicked off. Plus, at that time, Grindelwald was approximately 44 years old. Yes, Depp is 53 right now, but he could still pull off a man in his 40s. Or, to offer another kooky idea, what if he's playing a younger Albus Dumbledore? After all, Newt Scamander knows the man from his time at Hogwarts. Whoever Depp ends up playing, it will be interesting to see how he fits into this magical community.
Fantastic Beasts marks the latest movie series that Johnny Depp has joined, following behind Pirates of the Caribbean and Alice in Wonderland over at Disney. This may also help with getting his career back on track after a string of misses. While his turn Whitey Bulger in Black Mass was well received, some his other recent projects, like Yoga Hosers and Mortdecai, did not fare well with audiences, to be tactful. Depp's other upcoming movies include Murder on the Orient Express, Labyrinth and The Invisible Man.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2 will work its magic in theaters on November 16, 2018.
