Ezra Miller is set to play The Flash for Warner Bros. in both Justice League and his solo film, but he's also working with the studio on the Harry Potter spinoff, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. How was he able to make that work? With a little help from Humphrey Bogart.
It's been a long time since the Golden Age of Hollywood when the studio system was still in use. While actors and other creatives are free to work with whomever they choose, we still see a type of brand loyalty these days whether that's due to contracts or just enjoying the team at a certain studio (Disney/Marvel comes to mind). Miller is currently set to play in two of Warner Bros' biggest franchises.
Growing up a big Harry Potter fan, the actor thought he'd never get a chance to play in that world telling Pottermore, “I thought it was over. I spent years devastated that I wasn”t in that world, that I wasn”t in those movies. I would say, 'I can do British, I promise!'”
But then he found out about Fantastic Beasts and the character he eventually went on to play, Credence. Except there was one problem – his superhero schedule.
“At that stage I”d already signed up to become The Flash, and there were serious scheduling issues. For a while it looked like I wouldn”t be able to do this movie,” he told Pottermore. “So I”m thinking about the part, I”m dreaming about it, I want it and I know deep down that I will do anything for it. So I start emailing Warner Bros. and I say, 'Look at Humphrey Bogart!'”
Not quite what anyone probably expected to find in their inbox, I'm sure. He went on to explain, “Casablanca was his eleventh film with the studio that decade. We don”t do that anymore, we don”t develop relationships between actors and studios. There”s no loyalty like that anymore. I say in these emails that I want that with you. I want Credence and I want The Flash.”
And of course we all know by now Warner Bros. made it work. While Miller's Fantastic Beasts role is still a bit of a mystery, IGN's new set report gives us some ideas:
One aspect of the story that was being kept very under wraps is how the New Salem Philanthropic Society fits into Fantastic Beasts – an organization led by Samantha Morton”s Mary Lou Barebone, which aims to expose and kill the Wizarding society. In a room covered in production art, photos and imagery from Fantastic Beasts, we saw a lot of New Salemer pamphlets and posters meant to bring more followers into their fold but were told very little by the cast and crew about what occurs with this group in the story.
Ezra Miller – whose other big new Warner Bros. franchise role has him playing The Flash – plays Mary Lou”s adopted son, Credence. Joking about how much secrecy there is around his role in particular, Miller, when Mary Lou was mentioned, replied with a grin, “I cannot confirm or deny whether or not my character has now or has ever had a mother.”
They also note he shares some screen time with Colin Farrell's Auror character, Percival Graves. Hmm. Could we have another secretly evil wizard on our hands with Miller? He's previously been referred to as a “troubled figure.” If he's Mary Lou's adoptive son, and she's the perceived villain against the wizarding world, it would make for some very J.K. Rowling-style drama to have Credence turn out to be a dark wizard in disguise. A new Voldemort even?