J.K. Rowling is facing yet more backlash from the internet after her latest controversial comments, which has led to the stars of the extended Wizarding World franchise speaking out against her. Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe have already made it clear that they have a fundamental difference of opinion with the Harry Potter author, but it looks like the leading man of the Fantastic Beasts series is ready to take things one step further.
Eddie Redmayne has already released a statement in response to Rowling’s latest Twitter firestorm, and we’ve now heard that he feels so strongly about it that he’s reportedly told Warner Bros. that he doesn’t want her to be involved in Fantastic Beasts anymore. According to our intel – which comes from the same sources who said Bill Murray was returning for Ghostbusters: Afterlife, an Aladdin sequel is in the works and Diana will have her Golden Eagle armor in Wonder Woman 1984, all of which were correct – the Academy Award-winning actor is no longer comfortable working with the author, which only creates more questions surrounding the future of the series.
As a producer, creator of the source material and writer of the movie’s scripts, it seems unlikely that WB would even consider dropping Rowling at Redmayne’s request. Then there’s the probability that the 38 year-old actor is already signed to a multi-picture contract that covers all five installments, which you imagine wouldn’t be the easiest thing to get out of given the potential billions of dollars at stake. As such, it remains unclear what the studio will do here and how things will play out, but again, we’ve been told that Redmayne doesn’t want to continue working with the author.
Of course, the future of Fantastic Beasts is already the subject of heavy speculation given the disappointing critical and commercial reactions to The Crimes of Grindelwald, as well as Ezra Miller’s recent and potentially career-altering transgressions, and while what happens from here remains to be seen, the last thing the blockbuster franchise needs at this point is tension between two of its most important components.
