Why They Cast Johnny Depp in Fantastic Beasts 2

Famous actor Johnny Depp will have a big role in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them sequel, playing the evil wizard Grindelwald. Now, producer David Heyman has discussed why they wanted the Edward Scissorhands and Pirates actor for the part.

"What we wanted was an iconic actor to play Grindelwald, because Grindelwald is an iconic character who has a significant place in this story," Heyman told Collider. "His ability to persuade the hearts and minds, to persuade people to follow him is essential to this story."

Grindelwald is "dangerous" in that way, Heyman added. So the producers sought out an actor they thought could be "seductive," charming, and original.

"We were looking for someone who was seductive and could be charming and could be original, who was iconic, who was a great actor; and that's what Johnny Depp is," he explained. "He can be irresistible. He's powerful. He's created some iconic characters, and not made the obvious choices when doing so. The unpredictability of the choices he makes is part of what makes him so extraordinary and that was very exciting for us. He was the perfect choice for Grindelwald."

Fantastic Beasts director David Yates previously talked about casting Depp as Grindelwald, praising the actor for his talents and uniqueness.

"Johnny Depp is a real artist," Yates said earlier this month. "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."

A young version of the famous wizard Dumbledore will appear in the first Fantastic Beasts sequel, though it's not been confirmed yet who will play him in the Paris-set 2018 movie.

Warner Bros. is planning five Fantastic Beasts movies. Yates is reportedly officially signed up for the first sequel, but he's not yet ready to commit to directing all five.

Fantastic Beasts opened on November 18 and pulled in $75 million at the US box office to become the No. 1 film of the weekend. For more on the movie, check out GameSpot's review and what other critics are saying.