Opinions are (rightfully) divided when they come to “True Detective“‘s second season, but almost everyone should agree Colin Farrell is doing some fine work. It’s far from his best character, and all too often he’s reduced to glum dialogue and sullen character traits. But he brings a fine gravitas, if you will, to the character and often makes even his worst lines have a dignity or weight behind them. It’s a welcomed presence and, in a world defined by what they deserve, he’s owed a better due. So, hopefully, with his next role, he’ll get a better rep.
Farrell is the latest to join the extensive cast of Warner Bros‘ Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. He joins the J.K. Rowling-scripted feature as Graves, a New York wizard our lead Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) meets during a visit. The impending film takes place 70 years before Potter and his friends took the Hogwarts world by storm, and follows Newt in his adventures throughout the world of wizards and witches as he chronicles their odd creatures and even more atypical behavior. Given Farrell’s high profile status, Graves is most likely one our lead takes quite an interest in and, with the studio hoping to banner this as a new trilogy at the very least, this may very well become a high-commitment role for the Irish actor.
In addition to Redmayne, Farrell also joins Ezra Miller, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler and Alison Sudol (“Transparent“) in the ensemble. Miller and Waterston play wizard Kredan and witch Tina, respectively, and probably serve as the Ron and Hermione to Newt’s Harry. Sudol plays Tina’s sister, Queenie, but Fogler’s role is a littler murkier at the moment. Some suggest he’s simply a muggle and also a rival character for our lead, Jacob, though others believe these roles are separate and the latter is courted for Michael Cera or Josh Gad to play. It’s a little early to tell, and the studio wants to keep these details under wrap as long as possible. So we’ll see who’s who.
What is known is this: Fantastic Beasts comes to theaters on November 18, 2016, with production set to begin soon either in the early months of fall or possibly the very end of summer. Regardless, Farrell’s commitments to “True Detective” are sealed-and-done, with only one 90-minute episode to go in less than one week’s time. He does have The Lobster and one-time Se7en sequel, Solace, on the horizon for release very soon, but acting-wise he’s free for the foreseeable future. Though he’s often stuck to independent features beyond your Total Recall here-and-there, it looks as though he wants to get back in the swing of things. Hopefully his services are rewarded. [THR]
