The first trailer forFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwaldhas been released and it,unlike JK Rowling, would like to pretend like Johnny Depp is not in the movie. (I am not inclined to cut anyone associated with this movie slack because A. they could have recast him between movies #1 and #2, BUT THEY CHOSE NOT TO, and B. they’re doing that Dumbledore-is-gay-nudge-nudge thing where they want the street cred of having a gay characterwithout actually having a gay characterand blockbusters keep doing this and it’s EXTREMELY LAME and whatever goodwill I had left after Depp is gone.) But there is very little of Depp in the trailer, a minimizing tactic you可能remember from加勒比海盗Nteenth. At least someone affiliated with Warner Brothers marketing has the grace to be embarrassed they kept Depp.
Depp f*ckery aside, this trailer actually looks good. Newt Scamander is doing some sh*t in Paris this time, and all the faves are back—Newt, Tina and Queenie Goldstein, and cheerful Muggle baker Jacob Kowalski. (I refused to use the stupid American term “no-maj”.) Also returning is Ezra Miller,Zoe Kravitz—SUCH great casting for a Lestrange—andCarmen Ejogo. And, of course, new to the fold isJude Lawas Young And Hunky Dumbledore. This is not the wizened, white-bearded Dumbledore of Harry Potter’s day, this is Dumbledore in his prime, back when he was just a teacher—but like, a COOL teacher—at Hogwarts. He’s in touch with Newt. They’re up to something. People have questions. And then they showJohnny Deppas Grindelwald and I remember how he used to top my list of Forever Loves until I discovered that “forever” has a limit and it’s “spousal abuse”.
It’s a shame Depp is bringing this down becauseGrindelwaldactually looks good.Fantastic Beastswas so-so, but the world was interesting enough and the characters fun enough to want to return to the 1920s Wizarding World, and our second trip looks full of fun stuff. Magical Paris is an interesting concept, I’m curious to see how Credence Barebone survived, and of course, I must know what happens between Queenie and Jacob, who really provided the heart in the first movie. And Jude Law looks PERFECT as young Dumbledore, with the right combination of twinkle and swagger. But then there’s Johnny Depp. He can’t single-handedly ruin the Wizarding World, but he is certainly taking the shine off.
