Why Johnny Depp was Cast as the Villain Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts Sequel, According to David Yates

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will launch in theaters next week, and it will be followed by four films set in the Potter universe. It was reported that Johnny Depp joined the upcoming sequel, which will see the dark wizard Grindelwald, but some fans seem disappointed at the casting news, but according to director David Yates, there's a reason why Depp was chosen to play this character.

During an interview with the Leaky Cauldron, Yates explained the reason why they cast Johnny Depp as Grindelwald:

"Johnny Depp is a real artist. He's created several characters who have really resonated in our popular culture. He's a really brilliant, brilliant actor. We were excited about seeing what he would do with this guy, the character. He's fearless; he's imaginative; he's ambitious. We thought he would do something fun and special. So we went for him, purely on that selfish basis. We don't care if he's famous or not famous. We just know he's interesting."

He's right about Depp being fearless, imaginative, and ambitious when it comes to playing his roles. Depp is one of the most versatile actors, and producer David Heyman explained that Depp has the boldness to bring the character to life in the big screen:

"Grindelwald is an iconic character, so it was important to have someone who had that weight. There's a reason why he has that weight. It's because, you know, he's a fine actor who makes unexpected choices."

Yates went to discuss the Fantastic Beasts sequels, saying how it will shift the focus away from the beasts, and will put Grindelwald at the center of the story:

"Currently the beasts feature slightly less in the second film, and Grindelwald takes more of a foreground. Currently. But we love the beasts so much. There's an amazing beast in the second movie–a Chinese beast, actually–that is featured. We're exploring how we can get a couple more beasts into the second film, with [J.K. Rowling]."

I'm excited to see what the Chinese beast will look like. It's probably some kind of dragon. Regardless of the number of beasts that will appear in the sequels, they are still sticking to the "Fantastic Beasts" title, and Heyman explains how it will make sense:

"In a way the beasts are the creatures in the case. But it's also the beast in each of us. […] I think beasts will continue to play a part in some score. It's also so much a part of what Jo writes about. It's the consequences of repression."

Earlier this week, Yates also confirmed that a young Dumbledore will appear in the Fantastic Beasts sequel.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them will be released in theaters on November 18.