Warner Bros. is struggling in the franchise game right now. Zack Snyder's "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" failed to connect with audiences, and the entire future of the DC Extended Universe is up in the air right now. However, one safe haven for the studio may be the "Harry Potter" universe, as the highly anticipated "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" will be hitting theaters later this year.
Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne is headlining the David Yates-directed project (Yates directed four "Harry Potter" films), and he will be joined by Colin Farrell, who will play Percival Graves. Farrell recently spoke about the film and had some interesting things to say.
When asked how "Fantastic Beasts" stacks up against other "franchise roles" on his IMDB page, Farell said:
"I mean you put that theme music up and J.K. Rowling and welcome back to a world of magic...It's part of the Harry Potter universe. There's no sure things. There are sometimes things that are surprise successes and there are things that were designed purely for box office success that don't work. This would be a sure thing as possible but there are no sure things."
How was it working with an Oscar winner?
"Yeah, he was great, Eddie and Ezra [Miller]," Farrell said. "David Yates is an extraordinary man and filmmaker who kinda feels like a protector of the kingdom. He's so well-versed in the mythology of that world and has a deep affinity for the characters and the lore of it. He was great to be around."
So will Farrell be reprising his role of Percival Graves in Warner Bros.' planned sequels, which are tentatively scheduled for November 2018 and November 2020?
"No, I don't know what's happening. As far as I knew it's standalone. I don't know what their intentions are," he said.
Too bad. Based solely on the limited footage that WB has released, "Fantastic Beasts" looks like it could be a major hit both critically and financially. Here's to hoping that the talented Farrell gets another go around in this world.
"Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" will hit theaters on Nov. 18.
Follow Brandon Katz at @Great_Katzby
