The Wizarding World doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon, as the opening box office projections for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald is looking to make a ton of money for Warner Bros.
A new report from Variety anticipates that J.K. Rowling’s latest installment in the Harry Potter spinoff series will bring in up to $250 million worldwide. This is in line with Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them, which opened in 2016 to about $220 million across the globe.
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The first film went on to make $814 million total in its theatrical run, and analysts predict that the sequel with Jude Law and Johnny Depp could pull in similar numbers.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald reviews have been mixed and a lot of critics have responded poorly to the new film, but that’s not likely to be enough to tarnish the brand. Harry Potter remains a popular franchise among fans, and the buzz for the sequel will help fill seats as fan-favorite character Albus Dumbledore plays a major role.
But the series has faced criticism in recent years, especially after the casting of Johnny Depp as the lead villain Gellert Grindlewald, coming in the wake of domestic violence accusations from ex-wife Amber Heard. Depp responded to the criticism, defending himself and thanking Rowling for her support.
“I’ll be honest with you, I felt bad for J.K. having to field all these various feelings from people out there. I felt bad that she had to take that. But ultimately, there is real controversy. The fact remains I was falsely accused, which is why I’m suing the Sun newspaper for defamation for repeating false accusations,” Depp said.
“J.K. has seen the evidence and therefore knows I was falsely accused, and that’s why she has publicly supported me. She doesn’t take things lightly. She would not stand up if she didn’t know the truth. So that’s really it.”
Rowling herself spoke out on the issue, lending her support to Depp while also praising the passionate fanbase.
“The huge, mutually supportive community that has grown up around Harry Potter is one of the greatest joys of my life,” Rowling said. “For me personally, the inability to speak openly to fans about this issue has been difficult, frustrating, and at times painful. However, the agreements that have been put in place to protect the privacy of two people, both of whom have expressed a desire to get on with their lives, must be respected. 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.”
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald premieres in theaters this Friday, November 16th.
