Warning: This article contains spoilers for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
Ezra Miller’s future after end of The Secrets of Dumbledore, breaking down all the moving parts in this situation might help to better understand what is to come for both Miller and their character Credence.
Miller began their tenure as Credence in The Secrets of Dumbledore’s ending muddying Credence’s situation going forward, a lot of questions remain regarding what direction the franchise will go in.
Since Fantastic Beasts 4 has yet to be greenlit, the question of whether or not Miller will reprise their role as Credence may be moot. Another Fantastic Beasts movie hinges on the success of The Secrets of Dumbledore and given that the movie has seen the least amount of success at the box office so far compared to its predecessors, another installment might not happen. Additionally, with Miller having a public disturbance charge filed against them, Warner Bros. has held meetings to discuss whether or not they feel continuing work with Miller in the DCEU and on Fantastic Beasts would be appropriate. No official decisions on Warner Bros.’ future professional relationship with Miller have been made yet. Credence does not die at the end of The Secrets of Dumbledore, but he is very weak and it seems highly likely that he will die soon. If production on another Fantastic Beasts movie does proceed, and Credence did live, there is precedent to have another actor come in to take their place if the creators do decide to let Miller go.
Warner Bros. Ezra Miller Controversy Explained
In addition to playing a critical role in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Miller has completed filming Warner Bros.’ The Flash, taking on the role of the titular character. In a March 28, 2022 police report, it was said (via Rolling Stone) that Miller had become “agitated after patrons at a Hawaii bar began singing karaoke.” Miller went on to shout “obscenities and grabbed the microphone from a 23-year-old woman as she was singing and allegedly lunged at a 32-year-old man playing darts.” This led to Miller being arrested by police. The next day, a local couple filed for a temporary restraining order against the Fantastic Beasts star after alleging that they had burst into the couple’s bedroom, threatening them. The couple ultimately dropped the charges on April 12, 2022 (via Associated Press).
On March 30, 2022, Warner Bros. held an emergency meeting to discuss Miller’s future with their role as The Flash in the DCEU, as well as their role as Credence Barebone in Fantastic Beasts. Based on what was said to be “a knowledgeable source, the consensus in the room was to hit pause on any future projects involving Miller including possible appearances in the DC Extended Universe.” This indicates that Warner Bros. is suspending, but not terminating, future working relationships with Miller at this time.
The charges filed against Miller in March are just the latest in a string of controversies for the movie star, the most notable of which surfaced on April 6, 2020. A video included in a tweet showed Miller choking and throwing a woman to the ground. It was confirmed (via Variety) that “the incident took place around 6 p.m. on April 1 at Prikið Kaffihús, a trendy bar in central Reykjavik that Miller frequents.”
What Happens To Credence In Fantastic Beasts 3: Does He Die?
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, is not in great shape by the end of The Secrets of Dumbledore. While he has not died just yet, Aberforth Dumbledore (Richard Coyle) is bringing Aurelius, his son, back home to take care of him. Aurelius has already lived far longer as an Obscurial than any other that has come before him. He is incredibly powerful, but his time is certainly limited even so. There is a possibility that the Dumbledore family will try to prolong Aurelius’ life as much as they can. Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) tells Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) that it is too late for Aurelius to be saved, but he does not die at the end of The Secrets of Dumbledore.
Will Fantastic Beasts 4 Happen?
Whether or not Fantastic Beasts 4 happens relies heavily on how well The Secrets of Dumbledore does. Estimates are projecting (via BoxOffice Pro) the movie will bring in about $43 million during its opening weekend debut. The Secrets of Dumbledore has brought in considerably less money during opening weekend than both its predecessors. The movie is not off to a good start in this regard, but no final decisions have been made about making another one and it is unclear at this time what kind of profit is needed in order to secure the making of a fourth installment.
Originally, the plan was to have five Fantastic Beasts movies, but a script for a possible fourth has yet to be written. The Secrets of Dumbledore ended on a considerably higher note than how it began, but it did also leave a lot of loose ends to be tied up. Of course, one of those loose ends is Credence’s fate.
Will Ezra Miller Return In Fantastic Beasts 4 (If It Happens)?
Ezra Miller could still return to Fantastic Beasts 4 if Warner Bros. found that their working relationship with the actor could continue. This would largely be dependent upon how the charges against Miller shake out. However, Johnny Depp was not asked to return to his role as Gellert Grindelwald for The Secrets of Dumbledore due to abuse allegations from his now ex-wife Amber Heard, even though the case is still ongoing. With Warner Bros. having met recently about Miller, suspending them from future projects, at the moment it does not appear that they will be returning to the franchise any time soon if another movie does happen.
Would WB Recast Ezra Miller's Credence For Fantastic Beasts 4?
If Fantastic Beasts 4 happens, and if Credence is indeed going to be included, it is very possible that Warner Bros. would recast the character if they felt a working relationship with Miller would not be appropriate at that time. Most recently, Johnny Depp’s role as Gellert Grindelwald was recast with Mads Mikkelsen stepping into his place in the wake of abuse charges that had been filed against Depp by his now ex-wife, Amber Heard. In fact, Mikkelsen’s inclusion was very well-received, proving that if necessary, such a recast can be done successfully.
Warner Bros. has time before they need to make a final decision on how to handle the situation with Miller. Warner Bros. is suspending, but not terminating, future work with Miller at this time. It appears that the company is waiting to see how the case from Hawaii plays out before setting anything in stone.
There are a lot of moving parts to consider in this continuously evolving situation with Miller and their role as Credence in Fantastic Beasts, not to mention their future with Warner Bros. At this point, nothing has been finalized, including whether or not another movie will even follow Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, but more information will emerge as time goes on. With Warner Bros. very aware of the importance of maintaining a healthy and fair working environment, whatever their decision is on Miller will certainly not be made in haste.
