It’s official, Mads Mikkelsen will replace Johnny Depp as Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts film franchise. According to an official Warner Bros announcement, Mikkelsen will replace Depp in Fantastic Beasts 3. The news comes just a week after the Doctor Strange and Hannibal actor updated fans by saying he was “waiting for the phone call” to make it official.
Depp let his fans know via social media that he had been “asked to resign” after he lost a libel suit against a newspaper reporting that he abused his ex wife, Amber Heard.
“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 wrote.
The lost libel suit had been brought against U.K. Sun tabloid newspaper for labeling him a “wife beater,” The British judge said he believed Hear frequently feared for her life.
Depp continues to deny all allegations of abuse.
Following the announcement, Depp fans signed a petition asking for Heard to resign her own latest movie role as Depp has claimed that Heard had struck him. The couple’s court cases have split fans into two factions; those who believe Depp physically struck Heard and those who believe Heard physically struck Depp.
Depp finished his announcement with “Finally, I wish to say this. The surreal judgment of the court in the U.K. will not change my fight to tell the truth and I confirm that I plan to appeal. My resolve remains strong and I intend to prove that the allegations against me are false. My life and career will not be defined by this moment in time.”
