Johnny Depp is continuously in a legal scuffle with ex-wife Amber Heard who has accused him of physically assaulting her while they were married. Now, it might cost him his main role in the upcoming film “Fantastic Beasts 3.”
Depp had a cameo appearance in the first installment “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” to introduce him as Grindelwald. He then became one of the main characters in the sequel “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” that ended with an obvious message he will return in “Fantastic Beasts 3.”
The release date for the next Fantastic Beasts adventure has been announced... https://t.co/3AY5xF362R
— Pottermore (@pottermore) April 29, 2019
However, Warner Bros. has purportedly yet to approach Depp to reprise his role in “Fantastic Beasts 3” despite the studio announcing its official release date on Nov. 12, 2021. It is also rumored that production schedule has already been set to begin in spring 2020. That just makes fans even more curious if Depp will eventually be removed from the cast.
The Blast reports that the “Pirates of the Caribbean” alum has signed to star in five films under this franchise. That could have meant that he should certainly be part of “Fantastic Beasts 3.” But Depp’s involvement in the movie series has always been shaky as some fans still want him out due to Heard’s domestic abuse accusations.
It appears that this clamor is not just happening among the fanbase. The same report claimed that some studio executives also want Depp to be replaced. That might be one reason why his reprisal of the Grindelwald role in “Fantastic Beasts 3” has not been confirmed yet.
However, Depp clearly has supporters from the inner circle including the Hogwarts universe mastermind J.K. Rowling. Years before “Fantastic Beasts 3” details were released, Rowling explained why she does not want to recast for Grindelwald. “The agreements that have been put in place to protect the privacy of two people, both of whom have expressed a desire to get on with their lives, must be respected,” Rowling wrote in 2017.
