There was a nervousness only because, one, we couldnt repeat what wed done before.
But what was great is when I read that script is that it felt very different from anything.
Theyre going to coin it in; theyre just sort of retreading.
And the one person who doesnt need to coin it in is Jo Rowling.
Shes doing it because she wants to extend her universe, and for her its all a creative endeavor.
It was very fresh, and Steve reminded me last week that those reports just disappeared.
I got it; its not like what it was before.
Who would pass that up?
Storyteller of our generation, and youre working with her across the desk.
Thirdly, ultimately, I get to set up the train set.
I didnt really have that opportunity onPotter.
A fabulous period in American history.
And there are, as there are then, these extremes starting to emerge.
So theres a reason she picked 1926, and the world in 1926 to set this story.
Because its not a million miles away from some of the things we might be experiencing right now.
We went to Central Park and had a good two or three weeks here just looking at everything.
Ultimately, we decided to take it back to England to build.
We built a huge set that we then extended in the digital domain.
And theres not that many movies set in that period, bizarrely.
Yeah, its just you and Woody Allen.
Yeah [Laughs].
And ultimately, that just reflects on some of this writing.
But the movie is ultimately an entertainment.
Its there to beguile and take us on a journey, and to sort of invest in these characters.
But we cant help but reflect what were seeing.
He had a bit of a blond mustache there.
Is that something youd like to explore in later movies?
Yes, Grindelwald comes back in the second movie and is quite compelling, actually.
Hes a really seductive, beguiling chap who seems to have a very reasonableso hes quite scary.
Hes making a case for wizard kind.
Wizard kind in these stories, theyre a minority of the population.
At the Salem Witch Trials, they were persecuted and killed.
Was there any frustration with Johnny Depps casting?
Yes, you know its difficult to stop these things.
[Laughs]
Im thrilled hes in our movie, and hes going to be in the subsequent movie.
I know theres an obvious influence of 20s cinema in this movie with Clara Bow and Charlie Chaplin.
Well you know what, I might be diving into that just to see.
The ultimate inspiration is always what Jo writes.
But really its about whats on the page, and how we illuminate it and bring it to life.
Thats the real inspiration.
Thank you so much, great seeing you again.
