Movies

The Internet Is Not Happy With J.K. Rowling’s Response To ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Controversy

Today, J.K. Rowling broke her silence on the casting of Johnny Depp in the Fantastic Beasts franchise — and the Internet isn’t sure how to feel about it.

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Fans have responded negatively to the casting for over a year now, since Depp first had a secret cameo as Gellert Grindelwald in 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. As some were quick to argue, it’s wrong to include Depp in such a major franchise, especially following the abuse allegations brought up by his ex-wife (and fellow Warner Bros. employee) Amber Heard.

The debate was kicked up again in a pretty big way last week, after Rowling blocked a fan on Twitter who asked why Depp was still cast in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. But according to Rowling, any potential recasting was ultimately decided against.

“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,” Rowling wrote earlier today.

Since Rowling posted her statement – which was accompanied by a statement from Warner Bros. as well – fans haven’t shied away from expressing their disappointment online. Here’s a round-up of some of those tweets.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald hits theaters on November 16, 2018.