No, that’s not Josh Gad, Michael Cera, or John Krasinski, who were previously rumored for the part of Jacob in FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM; it’s FANBOYS’/MARS NEEDS MOMS’/TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT’s Dan Fogler.
Fogler joins previously cast Eddie Redmayne, Ezra Miller, Katherine Waterston, and Alison Sudol as Jacob, “a non-magical person whom Newt (Redmayne) befriends while on his adventure in New York.” Earlier reports described Jacob as the villain of the piece, which would make him the first major Muggle baddie in the Potter-verse (not counting the Dursleys). I wouldn’t be the slightest bit surprised if he was on that jealousy tip, trying to master or at least harness some of the magical mojo Redmayne’s Scamander brings to NYC.
I feel like I haven’t seen Fogler in a minute, though he’s had recent roles in BARELY LETHAL, EUROPA REPORT, and a few episodes of HANNIBAL (as the creepy Hannibal groupie, Franklin), but this definitely has the potential to give him a whole new realm of exposure.
My cynical side worries about the part as written; it’s obviously more attractive to hire bigger names like Gad, Cera, or Krasinski (provided they don’t ask for the moon, of course), so why did they all pass, leaving the role to a much lesser-known (and older) talent?
Regardless, Fogler’s a charismatic guy, and can score major laughs in the right role (he basically props up TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT on his own, with a little help on the wings by Chris Pratt). Plus, that HANNIBAL run showed he can go real eerie if he wants to, which will be key; we’re talking about a series that had fucking VOLDEMORT and SEVERUS SNAPE as villains, so pitting Newt against, say, Fogler’s FANBOYS character isn’t going to cut it.
Warner, David Yates, and J.K. Rowling show you FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM on November 18th, 2016.
