Moviefone Editorial

Tag: jk-rowling

  • J.K. Rowling Addresses Johnny Depp Grindelwald Casting: ‘Fans Had Legitimate Questions’

    US-ENTERTAINMENT-FANTASTIC BEASTSUltimately, J.K. Rowling is “genuinely happy” to have Johnny Depp in the “Fantastic Beasts” family as dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald.

    Some Harry Potter fans were not happy to see Depp in the role. He had a cameo in “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” and now has a lead role in the sequel, “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.” Many — but not all — of the critical fans are upset specifically because of the domestic abuse allegations made by Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard. Some fans just don’t think Depp looks right for the role (that weird platinum hair!), or is a good fit overall.

    But J.K. Rowling wrote the scripts, and the Harry Potter universe is her domain.

    Fans wondered where Rowling stood on the whole issue, and she finally broke her silence with a statement/opinion piece … that immediately crashed her website from traffic overload:


    If that link gives you a service unavailable message, well, you’re not alone. Here’s the point she’s making:

    So there you go. She wants to say more about the legal issues, it seems, but can’t. And she’s standing by Johnny Depp for the role. (Sorry, Christopher Plummer.)

    The movie is coming out next year, and then fans can judge Depp’s merit for themselves. Or they can just skip the movie in protest.

    “The Crimes of Grindelwald” will be released in theaters November 16th, 2018.

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  • Even J.K. Rowling Needs Pictures of Cute Otters to Cheer Herself Up

    EE British Academy Film Awards - Red Carpet ArrivalsShe may have created the magical world of Harry Potter, but even J.K. Rowling has trouble escaping reality sometimes. And what better remedy is there than ogling photos of adorable animals?

    Rowling put out the siren call to her Twitter followers on Monday morning, noting that she was upset about the current state of politics in the U.K, and looking for a bit of a distraction.

    “I’m so ****ing depressed,” the author wrote. “Send otter pictures.”

    While we must point out that Rowling missed an opportunity to say, “Accio otter pictures,” nevertheless, her fans more than delivered on her request, tweeting dozens of images of the cute aquatic mammals at the author. The delighted writer then retweeted many of the photos to her 12.7 million followers.

    Rowling was overwhelmed by the enthusiastic response, tweeting an update later in the day.

    “Thank you, kind and lovely people, for your otter gorgeousness,” she wrote.

    The writer’s followers also found her request soothing, with many noting that Rowling’s request (and subsequent retweets) clogged up their feeds — in a good way.

    The world may be a cruel and depressing place sometimes, but at least we have Rowling, otters, and the power of Google Image Search to help us get by.

    [via: J.K. Rowling/Twitter]

  • J.K. Rowling and Harry Potter Fans React to Robert Hardy’s Death

    EE British Academy Film Awards - Red Carpet ArrivalsThe Harry Potter family has lost one of its own.

    After news broke Thursday that Robert Hardy died at age 91, the mourning began on Twitter for the late actor. Potterheads were particularly vocal, as Hardy portrayed Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge in four of the series’ films. Author J.K. Rowling joined them in paying tribute, penning a short message to express her sorrow.

    “So very sad to hear about Robert Hardy,” she wrote. “He was such a talented actor and everybody who worked with him on Potter loved him.”

    Rowling wasn’t the only one connected to the Potter series who spoke out; Chris Rankin (Percy Weasley) remembered Hardy’s “wonderful stories” in a sweet tweet.

    And there were plenty of wands raised for Hardy. Potterheads did not fail to honor the actor, even if they didn’t always like his character.

    The Harry Potter films were far from the only notable ones in which Hardy starred during his decades-long career, but they were certainly memorable. We join the Potterheads of Twitter in raising an imaginary wand.

  • J.K. Rowling & Fans Tweet Emotional Thank-Yous on Harry Potter’s 20th Anniversary

    From left Emma Watson, JK Rowling, RuperIf you can believe it, it has been 20 years to the day since Harry Potter apparated into our world. Author J.K. Rowling‘s “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” was published on June 26, 1997, then crossed the pond with the slightly altered “Sorcerer’s Stone” title in its 1998 U.S. release.

    Twitter honored the anniversary with a fancy hashtag — #HarryPotter20 — and fans from around the world are celebrating the milestone by sharing how much the series has meant to them.

    It has meant the most to Rowling, who is not only insanely rich now, she has a world of new fans and friends. That validation has its own kind of magic. It was not inevitable that the story would play out this way, and Rowling knows that. She shared her gratitude in her own anniversary tweet:

    Thank YOU!

    Here are a few more tweets honoring the big day:

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  • ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ Has an Official Broadway Opening Date

    Accio, tickets! “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” is coming to Broadway, starting Sunday, April 22, 2018 at the Lyric Theatre in New York City. Pottermore.com announced the long-awaited news, bringing the popular play from London to the States.

    However, you can’t get your tickets quite yet. Pottermore reports that “Tickets will go on sale this Autumn and can be purchased only through the official Cursed Child website [Harrypottertheplay.com/us/]. Full details of how and when tickets can be purchased will be released soon.”

    They also suggest you follow the new Twitter account @HPPlayNYC for more details.

    “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” was written by Jack Thorne, based on an original story by “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and director John Tiffany. The two-art play opened at London’s Palace Theatre back in 2016. The story is set right after the events of the final book, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” picking up from that 19-year flash-forward scene, and following the children of Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and Draco.

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  • J.K. Rowling Apologized for Killing Snape & Now ‘Harry Potter’ Fans Are Fighting Again

    Every May 2, for the past three years, “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling has apologized for killing off a character. She started in 2015 with Fred Weasley. In 2016, it was Lupin. In 2017, she — rather reluctantly, ’cause she knew it would re-start fandom riots — picked Severus Snape.

    Rowling probably wasn’t trying to troll, but she knows Snape is the third rail of the Potter fandom. She’s been through this debate before.

    Many fans love Severus Snape (played on film by the late great Alan Rickman) but others still see him as a cruel bully for how he treated Harry Potter, Neville, and pretty much all non-Slytherins at Hogwarts. So that debate got rehashed in Rowling’s replies. Other fans jumped in just to wish she had picked Dobby, or Lily Evans Potter, or even Hedwig, as this year’s Death Day apology. And one fan started a Justice for Hufflepuffs movement, which got some support on Twitter as well.

    Here’s a taste of the reaction:

    There’s a lot more of that in her replies. Rowling knew it was coming, and cheers to her for being brave enough to go there anyway. Because, as we all know, “It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”

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  • ‘Fantastic Beasts’ Fans Can Now Buy Their Own Nifflers … for a Price

    If you’re closer to Weasley than Malfoy when it comes to galleons, you might need to break into Gringotts before attempting to buy one of the cute new plush Nifflers now available.

    “Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” author J.K. Rowling tweeted the good news for fans who want their own stuffed versions of the shiny-treasure-loving “Beast.” However, U.S. fans will have to go the extra mile on shipping costs.

    Over at Platform 9 3/4, you can pre-order a Niffler Plush for £35, which is just over $43. However, as CinemaBlend calculated, U.S. fans will also have to pay an extra £20 (just over $24) for packaging. So this stuffed animal is on the expensive side, unless you’re one of those people who regularly spends big bucks trying to win “free” stuffed prizes at fairs. For you, this might be a bargain.

    According to the site, the Niffler is approximately 22cm, and delivery is estimated for the start of May.

    Maybe if you just start leaving shiny bits of jewelry outside you can attract your own Niffler without having to pay for shipping.

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  • J.K. Rowling Reveals New Book Title Via Fun Game of Hangman

    EE British Academy Film Awards - Red Carpet ArrivalsNever mind staring at a block of ice for an hour (*cough*GameofLame*cough*), this is how you get fans involved in a big announcement.

    J.K. Rowling has close to 10 million Twitter followers, and she gave them a Hermione-level riddle to solve to get the title of her next Cormoran Strike book. This was after making it clear she would not be holding a (“bloody”) referendum to decide the title of the next “Fantastic Beasts” movie, although that title is currently being decided by others.

    A fan asked if she had any news on the next Strike novel, to follow “The Cuckoo’s Calling,” “The Silkworm,” and “Career of Evil,” all written under Rowling’s pseudonym, Robert Galbraith. Rowling answered, “It isn’t finished, though well underway!” Another fan asked for a hint on what the novel will be called, and that’s when she started this hangman game:

    As you can imagine, fans had A LOT of fun coming up with guesses, and while most were wrong, a winner was eventually declared.


    Then someone got it:

    Congratulations to that quick-thinking fan! But what does “Lethal White” mean as a title for the detective series? As Moviepilot speculated, “A quick Google search reveals that lethal white is actually a rare but serious genetic mutation found in horses, which can cause foals to die very early on in their lives. Sure it’s very specific, and unlikely to be related because Strike and Robin mainly frequent urban areas rather than the countryside. Then again, Rowling’s other Strike novels feature animals in their titles. Plus, the titular Cuckoo and Silkworm were crucial to their respective plots, so we definitely can’t rule this link out completely.”

    Fans can look forward to more details on that book, and — apparently — the title of the next “Fantastic Beasts” movie, whenever they make a decision.

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  • J.K. Rowling Reveals Christmas Gift to Wizard-Lovers on Her New Website

    BRITAIN-ENTERTAINMENT-FILM-CINEMA-FANTASTIC BEASTSDid you think J.K. Rowling forgot to get you something this Christmas? Our wizard queen would never do that. However, the “Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts” author didn’t quite get you something original, she just announced her new and improved website — JKRowling.com — and welcomed fans to it with a fresh list of FAQ answers.

    Here’s part of her “Welcome to My New Website” post (which includes the promise of a future “debunking function”):

    “2016 has been one of the busiest professional years of my life. I didn’t plan for the stage play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and the movie Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them to come out in the same year, but that’s what ended up happening, with the result that 2016 meant an almost total re-immersion in the wizarding world. I’ve been absolutely delighted with the reception of both pieces: the stakes are always very high when you return to a well-loved creation, and after almost a decade of refusing to do spin-offs or remakes, I feel overwhelming relief that both long-time fans and newcomers have enjoyed what we’ve done. Pottermore.com, the digital hub for the wizarding world, does a great job catering for anyone who wants to dig deeper into that world. […]

    With four more Beasts movies to come, I decided my Christmas gift to wizard-lovers should be to answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the plot of the new franchise. There’s also a bonus FAQ, an oldie about Chamber of Secrets that I’ve been asked at least once a week for nine years.”

    So that’s the gift — answers. Here are some of the FAQ, including SPOILERS FROM “FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM.”

    Why couldn’t Newt just Apparate to the USA? Why did he go by boat?
    Apparition becomes increasingly risky over long distances. As with most magic, much depends on the skill of the spell-caster: Apparition requires knowledge of the terrain to which one is moving, or the ability to visualise it clearly. Cross-continental Apparition would almost certainly result in severe injury or death. Moreover, the beasts in Newt’s case had varying magical natures. Some could have Apparated with him, but others could not.

    Why couldn’t Newt use ‘Accio’ to retrieve all his beasts?
    ‘Accio’ only works on inanimate objects. While people or creatures may be indirectly moved by ‘Accio-ing’ objects that they are wearing or holding, this carries all kinds of risks because of the likelihood of injury to the person or beast attached to an object travelling at close to the speed of light.

    Why isn’t Veritaserum used in interrogations?
    It is, but skilled wizards can avoid its effects by using antidotes and charms. A gifted Occlumens could also resist Veritaserum.

    Why didn’t Harry Potter develop an Obscurus?
    An Obscurus is developed under very specific conditions: trauma associated with the use of magic, internalized hatred of one’s own magic and a conscious attempt to suppress it. The Dursleys were too frightened of magic ever to acknowledge its existence to Harry. While Vernon and Petunia had a confused hope that if they were nasty enough to Harry his strange abilities might somehow evaporate, they never taught him to be ashamed or afraid of magic. Even when he was scolded for ‘making things happen’, he didn’t make any attempt to suppress his true nature, nor did he ever imagine that he had the power to do so.

    Why wasn’t the Horcrux inside Harry destroyed when he was bitten by the Basilisk in “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”?
    A Horcrux can only be destroyed if its container is damaged beyond repair. Harry was healed by Fawkes. Had he died, the Horcrux would indeed have been destroyed.

    Rowling is also still answering more questions on Twitter, correcting misunderstandings, etc. That is her daily gift to fans:

    Perhaps our gift back to her should be a break from the constant stream of questions!

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  • ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ Inches Closer to Broadway

    Potterheads living outside the U.K. have had to rely on planes, trains, and enchanted automobiles to get to a showing of “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” but that will hopefully soon change.

    Play producers Sonia Friedman and Colin Callendar revealed Thursday that they are negotiating a Broadway run with Ambassador Theatre Group, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The talks are said to be “advanced,” and the hit production could open in spring 2018. Its venue would be ATG’s Lyric Theatre, which is slated to undergo renovations before then.

    Potter creator J.K. Rowling seems as enthused as her fans do about the latest development. “I’m delighted we are one step closer in bringing ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ to Broadway and very excited by the proposed plans,” she said.

    Rowling has been deeply involved with “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” since the beginning. The author came up with the story idea alongside playwright Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany. What they created is a two-part, five-plus-hour show that continues the story of the beloved characters Harry, Hermione, and Ron, 19 years after the massive battle that took place in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

    The play has proven popular in London’s West End, so that should help pave its way to Broadway. If only we could use a Time Turner to get us to spring 2018 right now, though.

    [via: THR]