Johnny Depp won’t be reprising his role in the third
Fantastic Beasts film due out in the summer of 2022 but he will still be paid for it—to the tune of eight fat, round figures. Following the actor’s resignation from the project last weekend (Depp bowed out of
Beasts via a letter posted to Instagram that was probably PR’d and lawyer’d by a phalanx of pros) it’s been revealed that, due to some top-notch contract work by Johnny’s team, Depp will still receive his full salary for the threequel.Depp’s role in the
Fantastic Beasts franchise has been controversial since 2017, the year between his first appearance on screen as Gellert Grindelwald in 2016’s
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and his second, larger role in 2018's
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. That was when allegations of domestic abuse initially surfaced regarding Depp and his then-partner, Amber Heard. At the time, a public outcry over his continued inclusion in the film franchise was met by a solid defence mounted by both the studio, Warner Bros. and
Fantastic Beasts creator, J.K. Rowling (who herself has been on the receiving end of some very
bad publicity this year).“Based on our understanding of the circumstances, the filmmakers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting,” wrote Rowling in a December 2017 statement, “but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies.” The series’ director, David Yates, went even further,
telling an interviewer that Depp’s case is, “very different [than cases] where there are multiple accusers over many years that need to be examined and we need to reflect on our industry that allows that to roll on year in and year out. Johnny isn’t in that category in any shape or form. So to me, it doesn’t bear any more analysis. It’s a dead issue.”[video_embed id='2068284']RELATED: Johnny Depp loses court case against newspaper [/video_embed]But in light of Depp’s
recent loss in court (a U.K. judge sided with British tabloid
The Sun after Depp brought a libel suit against them for calling him a "wife beater") Warner Bros. studio, at least, has had a change of heart about their star, asking him ever so politely to back away from
Fantastic Beasts. It’s an expensive decision to say the least, considering that Depp’s contract included a “pay-or-play” clause that requires him to receive full compensation whether or not he ever spends a second on screen. The contract did not include a morality clause, either, ensuring that Depp could not be fired for bad public behaviour (which can in turn result in bad press for a film).
The Hollywood Reporter says that Depp had shot just one scene for the new film and that his role will now be recast—a process likely to cause delays (read: cost the studio even more money). As for Depp, he has more time in court on his schedule. The actor has filed another suit in the U.S. against Heard."Very soon, we will be presenting even more voluminous evidence in the U.S.,”
said Heard’s lawyer in a recent written statement. “We are committed to obtaining Justice for Amber Heard in the U.S. Court and defending Ms. Heard's Right to Free Speech.”[video_embed id='2072930']BEFORE YOU GO: This is when Alex Trebek's last 'Jeopardy!' episode will air [/video_embed]
