8
Credit: Warner Bros.Johnny Depp has finally broken his five-year-long silence after being asked to step down from his role as dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts films.
Why Did Warner Bros. Give Johnny Depp the Boot?
After losing the 2020 lawsuit he filed against British tabloid The Sun for publishing a 2018 story that described him as a “wife-beater” during his marriage to actress Amber Heard, Warner Bros. famously dropped Depp from the Harry Potter spinoff series.
In late 2020, the studio issued a statement announcing Depp’s departure from the series:
“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.”
Depp released his own statement shortly after the announcement, saying, “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.”
Related: Johnny Depp Calls Himself a “Crash Test Dummy” For #MeToo Movement
Johnny Depp Hits Back at Warner Bros.
Now, in a recent interview with The Telegraph, Depp recalled what happened, saying, “It literally stopped in a millisecond, like, while I was doing the movie. They [Warner Bros.] said we’d like you to resign. But what was really in my head was [that] they wanted me to retire.”
But in his recent interview, while reflecting upon the situation, Depp didn’t mince his words, saying, “F**k you. There’s far too many of me to kill. If you think you can hurt me more than I’ve already been hurt you’re gravely mistaken.”
Depp first appeared as Grindelwald at the end of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016), which grossed $814 million worldwide. He returned in a more central role in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018), which turned in $654.9 million.
However, after Depp’s exit, Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale) took over the role in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022). Though two additional sequels were planned, diminishing box office returns (the latest film only grossed $407.2 million) killed the series.
Is Fantastic Beasts Finished?
Director David Yates, who helmed all three entries and also every Harry Potter film from Order of the Phoenix to Deathly Hallows — Part 2, said in a 2023 interview with Deadline that Fantastic Beasts had been temporarily “parked”. There has been no movement since.
However, a Harry Potter television series is now in production for HBO. The reboot is unrelated to the film series and the Fantastic Beasts spinoffs and has already cast 18 actors.
Has Johnny Depp’s Career Recovered?
In 2022, Depp made daily headlines with the livestreamed Depp v. Heard trial that ruled on allegations of defamation between the Pirates of the Caribbean star and his ex-wife. Depp won, with the jury awarding him $15 million and Heard $2 million in her countersuit.
Unfortunately, Depp’s career has never fully recovered since his exit from Fantastic Beasts (although he remains active).
Once a household name associated with playing the iconic character Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and appearing in several Tim Burton-directed films such as Edward Scissorhands (1990), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet (2007), and the two Alice in Wonderland films, Depp’s name has remained in the spotlight more for courtroom drama than recent films in the last few years.
However, his career appears on the upturn, with rumors that he might reprise his iconic role in Pirates continuing to do the rounds online.
Do you think Johnny Depp was unfairly treated by Warner Bros.? Would you like to see him return to the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise? Let us know your thoughts in the comments down below!