Image via Warner Bros.
We’re spoiled nowadays. If you had told the ten-year-old me in the ‘90s that I would live in an age where studios were actually able to take risks and plan ambitious, multi-film stories, I would have been ecstatic. In our day, if there were sequels, they were unplanned sequels, and nine times out of ten, they weren’t made by any of the original creative team, nor did they star any of the original cast. What’s worse is that they were usually terrible. Sure, today, we’re a bit exhausted by the sheer number of franchises we need to invest in, but it’s a good problem to have.
It’s because of that reason that I wasn’t upset when Warner Bros. and author/screenwriter J.K. Rowling announced that Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them would actually be the first of a five-film series, as opposed to the originally-planned trilogy of films. While plenty of folks were excited by the news, there were at least an equal number who were a bit uneasy. What story could they possibly need to tell in five movies? Rowling took to Twitter to defend the decision, and based on all the stuff we’ve been learning regarding the film’s overarching plot, a five-film story is feeling less and less like a wholly financial decision.
Speaking with Variety, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them star Eddie Redmayne expressed whether or not he worried about having to play the character for so long.
“I didn’t, because I’d love who she’d written. As an actor, if it’s your dream to tell stories, getting to tell stories within the imagination of one of the greatest storytellers in the world is all you can hope for, really. Long may that continue.â€
Spoken like a true working actor, for sure. In an industry as fickle as the entertainment industry, any studio move that gives you an opportunity to work is a godsend – and I don’t mean just for the money. Actors are always hungry for work, and so long as they’re given the ability to make a healthy living off their talent, they’re happier than pigs in s**t.
But what does Redmayne know about Newt Scamander’s journey over the course of the film series? Does he know how it all ends?
“No. We really do not know. I think different actors know different amounts. We probably need to sit down. There was one day when [Rowling] came on set and she said writing the second movie. She said, ‘I’m not allowed to say anything.’ But she would sort of spill forth, and it was so infectious. Katherine [Waterston] and I were called back to a scene, and I remember the two of us doing the scene, but looking to the right — at Jo. Poor David was like, ‘Focus on the task.’â€
As of this writing, Fantastic Beasts seems to be doing pretty well with critics, currently sitting at 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. We’ll see if this reception translates into dollars that will enable this series to complete it’s planned five movies.
What do you think of Redmayne’s response? Do you think this film should have been announced as a series? Let us know your thoughts down below!
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SOURCE: Variety
