JK Rowling has defended the casting of Johnny Depp in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them franchise.
The Harry Potter author said she was “delighted” by Depp’s casting as dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald at the worldwide premiere of the first film last night. According to the BBC, she added that the actor had done “incredible things” with the character.
When it was announced last week that Depp had landed a major role in the franchise, some fans took to Twitter to express their dismay, with one going as far as to brand the move “horrific”.
Depp faced widespread criticism earlier this year as reports of his allegedly turbulent divorce from actress Amber Heard hit the headlines.
READ MORE: Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them – Everything You Need To Know
However, the actor evidently has the backing of those involved in the the Harry Potter prequel franchise, which stars Eddie Redmayne as a quirky introverted wizard called Newt Scamander. Director David Yates has described Depp as the “best person for the role” of Gellert Grindelwald.
According to the director, Depp’s character appears briefly in the first Fantastic Beasts film. He will then have a more substantial role in the film’s four sequels.
The first Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them film hits cinemas on November 18.
