Johnny Depp Gets Good News After Forced Exit in 'Fantastic Beasts'
Johnny Depp still got some good news amid all the losses and troubles he has been facing.
Depp let go of his final hope in reviving his Hollywood career after deciding to withdraw from his role as Grindelwald in the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise.
On November 6, Depp announced through a letter on Instagram that Warner Bros. asked him to give up his role.
"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 actor wrote.
It came after the U.K. High Court and Judge Andrew Nicol ruled his libel case's verdict in favor of The Sun.
Despite losing his last card, it has been confirmed that Depp will still receive his full salary from the franchise.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Depp will have his eight-figure salary for his role as Grindelwald despite not joining the third sequel anymore.
"Warner Bros. will be on the hook for Depp's full salary, even though he only had shot one scene since production began on September 20 in London," the new outlet mentioned.
The report explained that Warner Bros. and Depp signed a pay-or-play contract, which requires the company to pay him in full whether the film will be pushed through or not. It is still effective even if a certain role will be recast.
In addition, Warner Bros. clarified that they did not fire him at all. Instead, the studios asked him to resign, giving him a chance to refuse the offer.
Although he could have had stayed in the franchise, it remains unclear what alternative Warner Bros. would offer if he turned down.
Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter also revealed that Warner Bros. wanted to "allow due process to take its course" before deciding on his future with the franchise.
It ended his four-year journey with "Fantastic Beasts." Initially, the 57-year-old actor debuted in a brief cameo appearance in its 2016 installment before becoming the main antagonist in the 2018 film "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald."
It is worth noting that he played a role in the film even before his ex-wife, Amber Heard, threw the domestic violence accusations against him.
When the actor had been accused of verbal and physical abuse, JK Rowling defended him and explained why they want him to be part of the "Fantastic Beasts."
"Based on our understanding of the circumstances, the filmmakers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies," Rowling's statement read.
Is Getting The Full Salary Truly Good News for Depp?
After they ruling was released, the actor automatically suffered from financial blows.
Per The Guardian, Depp cashed out $5.8 million to cover the legal fees. If he had won the case, he could have brought home $210,000 to $235,000 for the damages the publication caused.
Since he will still receive his full-pay from "Fantastic Beasts," he finally has something for his upcoming libel battle against Amber Heard.
