According to a statement from the actor, he has been asked to resign.
On Friday, November 6, Warner Bros. and Johnny Depp announced that the actor will not appear in the third Fantastic Beasts film, Variety reports. The film, which is currently slated for a Summer 2022 release, will reportedly feature a new actor in Depp's previous role of Gellert Grindelwald.
News of the recasting came as Warner Bros. announced that the film had been pushed back from its planned November 2021 release, Variety notes. “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," a spokesperson for Warner Bros. told the outlet in a statement.
Depp shared the news of his departure via an Instagram post, writing, “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.”
The former Pirates of the Caribbean star has previously faced criticism from fans of the series for being included in the franchise amid earlier allegations of domestic violence brought against Depp by ex-wife Amber Heard. (Depp was not arrested and the former couple ultimately settled in court). Announcement of Depp's exit from the upcoming film comes as the actor lost a recent libel suit against The Sun; according to Variety, he plans to appeal the judge's ruling.
At the time of writing, Depp's former Fantastic Beasts costars have yet to comment on his departure from the franchise. Actor Daniel Radcliffe previously addressed the initial casting in 2018, telling Entertainment Weekly, "It’s a very hard thing for me."