Johnny Depp exits Fantastic Beasts franchise, forced to resign by Warner Bros
6 November 2020, 16:53
Watch the final trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald
“I wish to let you know that I have been asked to resign by Warner Bros. from my role as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts"
Johnny Depp has announced he will no longer play Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts film franchise (Nov 6).
Earlier this week (Nov 2) Depp lost his libel case against The Sun newspaper in the UK over an article that called him a "wife beater".
Depp had sued the paper after it claimed he assaulted his ex-wife Amber Heard, which he denies. The Sun said the article was accurate. The court agreed with the paper, finding 12 of the 14 alleged incidents of domestic violence had indeed occurred.
READ MORE: JK Rowling Just Released A Statement Defending Johnny Depp And People Are Pissed
In a statement to Instagram, Depp wrote:
“In light of recent events, I would like to make the following short statement.
Firstly, I’d like to thank everybody who has gifted me with their support and loyalty. I have been humbled and moved by your many messages of love and concern, particularly over the last few days.”
“I wish to let you know that I have been asked to resign by Warner Bros. from my role as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts and I have respected and agreed to that request.”
“Finally, I wish to say this. The surreal judgement of the court in the U.K. will not change my fight to tell the truth and I confirm that I plan to appeal. My resolve remains strong and I intend to prove that the allegations against me are false. My life and career will not be defined by this moment in time.”
In a statement, Warner Bros. also confirmed Depp’s departure and said his role would be recast before the third film in the franchise debuts in 2022. (Via Variety)
“Johnny Depp will depart the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ franchise. We thank Johnny for his work on the films to date."
"'Fantastic Beasts 3’ is currently in production, and the role of Gellert Grindelwald will be recast. The film will debut in theaters worldwide in the summer of 2022."
