Rough year for Johnny Depp. After multiple lawsuits and domestic abuse allegations in both the U.S. and the UK, Depp has announced that Warner Bros. has asked him to step down from the role of villain Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them franchise.
Depp shared the news on social media, releasing a short statement on his Instagram that was picked up on Twitter:
The statement reads
“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.
Thank you for reading.
Sincerely,
Johnny Depp”
The UK court case he’s referring to is his libel case against British tabloid The Sun, which he sued for an article published in 2018 alleging he was a wife-beater. Depp lost that case earlier this week.
In a related bit of news, Warner Bros. announced today that it will be delaying the release of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 3 considerably, bumping it from its November 12, 2021 release to the summer of 2022:
“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.”
Considering the scheduling changes and conflicts the COVID-19 pandemic has been wreaking on movie productions, it’s not a surprise, but in this case, it’s necessary: Fantastic Beasts 3 is shooting now in order to have enough time for post-production for the previous 2021 release date. But with Depp stepping down, it will require a recast of his role, a serious undertaking considering Grindelwald is the franchise villain. It also may require a script retouch, depending on who is cast. There was virtually no way it could have finished on time under the circumstances. The release date bump will now give them seven to nine extra months to recast Depp, get scheduling and logistics sorted, and make any necessary revisions to the story. What’s not clear is whether or not Warner Bros. had already been quietly conducting the search for Depp’s replacement prior to this announcement.
My solution? Just bring Colin Farrell back. Farrell, you will remember, had a key role in the first Fantastic Beasts movie, revealing himself at the very end to have been Depp’s Grindelwald in magical glamour the entire time. He’s a fan-favorite who already knows the world. If his schedule permits, why not bring him back? Warner Bros. already has a solid working relationship with Farrell and fans will be happy. Everybody wins.
