It’s been a tumultuous year for Johnny Depp – and after the legal wranglings of the summer and the recent outcome in his libel case, he is now leaving behind a major movie franchise role. In Harry Potter spin-off Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them and its sequel The Crimes Of Grindelwald, Depp played the series’ big baddie, dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald – and though production has already begun on the upcoming Fantastic Beasts 3, the actor has confirmed that he will no longer be playing the role going forward.
Depp released a statement on his Instagram, claiming that he has resigned from the franchise at Warner Bros’ request. Read his full statement here:
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.
Secondly, 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.
Thanks you for reading. Sincerely, Johnny Depp.
Though Depp’s statement comes in the wake of his libel case, the actor’s casting has been contested for a while now. Back in December 2017, Wizarding World creator J.K. Rowling released a statement about Depp’s involvement in the franchise, writing: “Based on our understanding of the circumstances, the filmmakers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting, but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies.” As of writing, there is no current statement on Depp's departure from Warner Bros, Rowling, or any other people associated with the franchise.
It remains to be seen how the Fantastic Beasts films will address the change in casting. It’s very possible that Grindelwald could perhaps take on another guise – for much of the first film, he was in disguise as Colin Farrell’s Percival Graves, before being revealed in Depp’s form in the closing minutes. And in the Harry Potter films, Dumbledore was simply recast as Michael Gambon from The Prisoner Of Azkaban onwards, following the death of actor Richard Harris. But as the second film in the series made clear, the overarching narrative of the Fantastic Beasts saga is the rise of Grindelwald, and his ultimate defeat at the hands of a young Albus Dumbledore – leaving a major role to be filled. With Fantastic Beasts 3 currently shooting, but just shifted its release date from November 2021 to an undated summer 2022 spot, stay tuned for any news of Depp’s re-casting in the coming weeks and months.