The Fantastic Beasts franchise is somehow still a thing, but Johnny Depp will no longer be part of it, with reports today that he has been kicked out of the series after he lost a court case against a UK tabloid that called him a ‘wife-beater’.
The actor himself confirmed the news on Instagram today, saying that he had been “asked to resign” from the role of the wizard Grindelwald, and had “respected that and agreed to that request”.
He went on to say that he finds the judgement of the UK court “surreal”, and that he plans to appeal it in order to prove that the allegations against him are false.
Studio Warner Bros, which makes the films, also made a statement, saying:
“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.”
Johnny Depp recently sued UK tabloid The Sun over a 2018 article that claimed he assaulted his former wife Amber Heard.
Earlier this week, a judge in the UK found that the claims contained within the article were “substantially true”.
