Following Johnny Depp’s defeat in a libel battle in London where he lost the case against a British tabloid that labeled him a “wife beater” during his tempestuous relationship with his ex-wife Amber Heard; the actor has been asked to resign from Warner Bros.
Using social media to inform his fans that would no longer be seen in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, Depp penned a heartfelt note on Facebook.
“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,” he wrote.
The news was followed with an insistence of his innocence and a promise to continue his legal battle to prove it.
“The surreal judgment of the court in the UK will not change my fight to tell the truth and I confirm that I plan to appeal,” he wrote. “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.”
Since shooting for the movie had begun with Grindelwald having a huge role to play in the script, Warner Bros confirmed the news with an announcement that the villainous role will be up for recasting.
“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.”
Previously at the ruling at the London High Court, Judge Andrew Nicol said he accepted claims by Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard that he had violently assaulted her on numerous occasions during their five-year relationship.
“I have found that the great majority of alleged assaults of Ms Heard by Mr Depp have been proved to the civil standard,” said Nicol, accepting that 12 of the 14 assaults had taken place.
