J.K. Rowling’s views on the transgender population have made the spinoff a skippable franchise for some “Harry Potter” fans.
In the nearly four years since the previous “Fantastic Beasts” feature, a lot has changed.
Animosity toward J.K. Rowling has increased as a result of her opinions on the transgender population, which have been labelled as transphobic by some.
Following outrage regarding Depp’s defamation court battle with ex-wife Amber Heard, who he claims wrongly represented him as a domestic abuser in an opinion article published in The Washington Post, actor Mads Mikkelsen was cast in the role of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald.
Ezra Miller, who plays Credence in the series, was recently detained in Hawaii for reportedly harassing karaoke patrons. According to the Associated Press, Miller was charged with disorderly behaviour and harassment and was released after posting $500 bail.
Now, as “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” the third instalment in the “Harry Potter” prequel saga, hits theatres this weekend, the question remains: Have fans remained loyal?
Some people are put off by Rowling’s previous comments and claims against Depp. Given Rowling’s recent inflammatory comments, for some, skipping the movie is a no-brainer.
“Why would anyone see ‘Fantastic Beasts’?” wondered Jake Stremel, 29, on Twitter, echoing similar sentiments.
Many people, like Stremel, claim that books and movies influenced their childhood. “By the time ‘Fantastic Beasts’ came out, Rowling’s position had fallen, and her reputation had been tarnished at that point,” he claimed.
People have been pointing out problematic themes in “Harry Potter” for years, according to Stremel, such as how the goblin bankers who oversee Gringotts Wizarding Bank resemble Jewish caricatures.
“Rowling’s always been sensitive about that, and she’s been trying to retcon as much as possible,” he said. “She seemed like she kind of cared about looking good and was very liberal. By the time she started really flirting with transphobia and stuff like that, it … I don’t know if surprising is the word for it, but it felt out of nowhere.”
There seems to be three different groups of people who refuse to see the new Fantastic Beasts movie.
People upset by J.K. Rowling’s toxic transphobic behavior
People upset at Johnny Depp being replaced
People who forgot that this is even a thing.
All valid
— Nolan Roberts (@NolanRoberts17) April 13, 2022
Rowling’s spokeswoman declined to comment with NBCNEWS request.
Depp was also the subject of debate after his casting in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald,” the sequel to “Fantastic Beasts.” Depp had a cameo in the first film, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” which was released in 2016. The news was confirmed after Depp made a cameo in the second film, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” which was released in 2017.
Some “Potter” fans were dissatisfied since the casting coincided with Depp’s divorce from Heard in 2016, which has dominated the news for years due to claims levelled by both parties.
After 15 months of marriage, Heard, who co-starred with Depp in 2011’s “The Rum Diary,” alleged irreconcilable differences and filed an order of protection from Depp in May 2016, claiming domestic abuse that culminated on May 21 — when he slapped her in the face with a telephone. These charges have been refuted by Depp.
In a 2017 essay on her website, Rowling justified the casting decision.
Depp lost his libel action against British tabloid The Sun in 2020 after the publication called him a “wife beater.” Depp revealed shortly after that he had been asked to quit by Warner Bros. in an Instagram post, “and I have respected and agreed to that request,” he said.
Another instance is currently being investigated in Fairfax County, Virginia. Some ardent Depp supporters got up in person to show their support.
According to Variety, Depp’s lawyers accused Heard of “fabricating domestic violence charges against him in order to enhance her own career.” According to Variety, Heard’s lawyer “argued that Depp is attempting to damage Heard’s life by pursuing the lawsuit.”
