Johnny Depp has broken his silence on being pushed out of the \u201cFantastic Beasts\u201d franchise.<\/p>\n
During an interview with The Telegraph<\/a> published Saturday, July 5, the \u201cModi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness\u201d director opened up about being recast in the \u201cHarry Potter\u201d spinoff series five years ago.<\/p>\n \u201cThey said we\u2019d like you to resign,\u201d Depp, 62, explained. \u201cBut what was really in my head was they wanted me to retire.\u201d<\/p>\n Johnny Depp at the premiere of \u201cModi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness\u201d on July 8, 2025, in London. Alberto Pezzali\/Invision\/AP<\/p>\n Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald in 2018\u2019s \u201cFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.\u201d \u00a9Warner Bros\/courtesy Everett Collection \/ Everett Collection<\/p>\n Depp, who portrayed the character Gellert Grindelwald in the first and second \u201cFantastic Beasts\u201d films, announced that he was resigning from the franchise<\/a> in November 2020. <\/p>\n His announcement came shortly after he lost a\u00a0libel case\u00a0against\u00a0The Sun\u00a0newspaper connected to a 2018 story calling him a \u201cwife-beater\u201d<\/a> while still married to\u00a0Amber Heard.<\/p>\n \u201cI wish to let you know that I have been asked to resign by Warner Bros. from my role as Grindelwald in\u00a0\u2018Fantastic Beasts\u2019\u00a0and I have respected and agreed to that request,\u201d the \u201cPirates of the Caribbean\u201d star said at the time.<\/p>\n Johnny Depp in \u201cFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.\u201d \u00a9Warner Bros\/courtesy Everett Collection \/ Everett Collection<\/p>\n Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald in \u201cFantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.\u201d \u00a9Warner Bros\/courtesy Everett Collection \/ Everett Collection<\/p>\n But when asked for a response to being recast over the weekend, Depp had a more pointed reply.<\/p>\n \u201cF\u2013k you,\u201d he said. \u201cThere\u2019s far too many of me to kill. If you think you can hurt me more than I\u2019ve already been hurt, you\u2019re gravely mistaken.\u201d<\/p>\n After portraying Grindelwald at the end of 2016\u2019s \u201cFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,\u201d Depp returned to the role for the 2018 sequel, \u201cThe Crimes of Grindelwald.\u201d<\/p>\n Mads Mikkelsen after replacing Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald for 2022\u2019s \u201cFantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.\u201d \u00a9Warner Bros\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n Mads Mikkelsen as Gellert Grindelwald in \u201cFantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.\u201d \u00a9Warner Bros\/Courtesy Everett Collection<\/p>\n Then, following his resignation from the role in 2020, Depp was replaced by Mads Mikkelsen, 59, for 2022\u2019s\u00a0\u201cThe Secrets of Dumbledore.\u201d<\/p>\n Besides Depp, the franchise also starred Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander and Jude Law as a younger Albus Dumbledore.<\/p>\n Despite emerging largely victorious from the defamation trial<\/a> against ex-wife Heard, 39, in 2022, Depp has mostly stayed away from the big screen.<\/p>\n Johnny Depp in \u201cThe Crimes of Grindelwald.\u201d \u00a9Warner Bros\/courtesy Everett Collection \/ Everett Collection<\/p>\n Johnny Depp before being asked to resign from the \u201cFantastic Beasts\u201d franchise. \u00a9Warner Bros\/courtesy Everett Collection \/ Everett Collection<\/p>\n His last live-action role, which was as Louis XV in the French film\u00a0\u201cJeanne du Barry,\u201d<\/a> was in 2023.<\/p>\n Still, the \u201cEdward Scissorhands\u201d star has managed to keep busy in other ways.<\/p>\n Depp stepped out at The Curzon Mayfair in London on Tuesday, July 8, for the red carpet premiere of \u201cModi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness.\u201d<\/p>\n Johnny Depp at the premiere of \u201cModi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness\u201d on Tuesday, July 8, in London. Ian West\/PA Images\/INSTARimages<\/p>\n Johnny Depp at the London premiere of \u201cModi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness\u201d on Tuesday, July 8. Ian West\/PA Images\/INSTARimages<\/p>\n \u201cModi,\u201d which stars Al Pacino and Riccardo Scamarcio, marks the first film Depp has directed since 1997\u2019s\u00a0\u201cThe Brave.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEmbarking on this cinematic journey as the director of\u00a0\u2018Modi\u2019 has been an incredibly fulfilling and transformative experience,\u201d the \u201cBlow\u201d actor said in a statement<\/a> about the film last year. <\/p>\n \u201cI would like to express my profound gratitude to the entire cast, crew and producers for their unwavering commitment and creativity,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n Johnny Depp at The Curzon Mayfair in London on Tuesday, July 8, for the red carpet premiere of \u201cModi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness.\u201d Alberto Pezzali\/Invision\/AP<\/p>\n After \u201cModi,\u201d Depp is set to return to the big screen in a starring role for the new film \u201cDay Drinker\u201d<\/a> with Madelyn Cline, 27, and Pen\u00e9lope Cruz, 51.<\/p>\n