Johnny Depp resigns as Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts movies

After losing his libel case against The Sun, Warner Bros. asks Johnny Depp to step down as the villain Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise.

Days after losing a libel cast against British newspaper The Sun, which characterized him as a “wife-beater,” Johnny Depp has announced that he will not be returning to the Fantastic Beasts franchise as Grindelwald, the series’ main villain. “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 wrong on his Instagram.

Depp’s ex-wife and actor Amber Heard first accused him of physical abuse in 2016. It’s been a long and public back-and-forth since then, dogging Depp as he appeared in movies like The Crimes of Grindelwald, the second of five planned Fantastic Beasts films; he also made a brief appearance in the first.

“My resolve remains strong and I intend to prove that the allegations against me are false,” Depp continued.

There’s no word on where the Fantastic Beasts movies go from here. Do they recast Grindelwald and act like nothing changed? Or maybe there could be a magical explanation?

And this is only one of the franchise’s problems. Although things could turn around, the second movie made over $100 million less than the first, and was reamed by critics and audiences alike. Plus, the movies are written by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, who’s in the midst of her own controversy after made bigoted statements against trans people earlier this year.

The Fantastic Beasts franchise may be the most scandal-prone in Hollywood, but the third movie is still due out on November 12, 2021.

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