Eddie Redmayne has bad news about ‘Fantastic Beasts’ future

Fans of the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ franchise will not be happy after star Eddie Redmayne revealed that at the moment the movie series has no future.

The 41-year-old British actor has been playing the role of Newt Scamander since ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ hit theaters in 2016. Since then he has gone on to reprise the beloved role in the 2018 sequel ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ and the most recent film ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’ in 2022.

“I mean, at the moment, there’s nothing that I’m aware of,” Redmayne explained in an interview with NME. “So, as I’m aware, it’s not something that’s on the cards.”

Even though Redmayne claims there will be no more films, nothing has been confirmed by Warner Bros. Pictures. So there’s still hope for wizarding world fans.

What is ‘Fantastic Beasts’ about?

The franchise, which is a spin-off prequel to the Harry Potter novel and film series, follows magizoologist Newt Scamander (Redmayne) — the author of a famous Hogwarts textbook — who arrives in New York City with an enchanted briefcase full of magical creatures and the desire to complete a global research expedition.

Who stars in the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ franchise?

Since it’s initial release in 2016 the series has grown to include three movies and stars such as Redmayne, Jude Law, Katherine Waterston, Ezra Miller, Dan Fogler, Johnny Depp, Alison Sudol, Mads Mikkelsen, Callum Turner, Jessica Williams, Zoë Kravitz, and more.

What scandals have affected the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ franchise?

Although JK Rowling had planned for there to be five films in the franchise, they’ve faced a few scandals that have tainted their reputation and schedule.

In November 2020, Johnny Depp, who played Grindelwald, left the franchise after claiming he was “asked to resign” from the series after he lost his libel case against UK newspaper The Sun and its executive editor Dan Wooton over claims he had physically abused his ex-wife Amber Heard over the course of their marriage. Depp later won a defamation case in the U.S. against Heard over an op-ed she had bylined but not written in the Washington Post, arguing the article defamed him with false allegations of abuse.

Fans of both the series and Depp were upset by the announcement that the Pirates of the Caribbean actor was leaving but ultimately Mads Mikkelsen replaced the actor in ‘The Secrets of Dumbledore.’

After the re-casting, actor Ezra Miller, who played Credence Barebone in the films, was arrested and pleaded guilty for disorderly conduct, harassment and burglary.

“Having recently gone through a time of intense crisis,” Miller star told Variety. “I now understand that I am suffering complex mental health issues and have begun ongoing treatment.

“I want to apologize to everyone that I have alarmed and upset with my past behavior. I am committed to doing the necessary work to get back to a healthy, safe and productive stage in my life.”

Lastly, the creator of the magical work JK Rowling, came under fire for her controversial statements about the transgender community back in 2020.