Hollywood star Johnny Depp said he was asked to leave the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise after losing a case against a UK tabloid that claimed he beat his wife. The actor has also pledged to appeal the "surreal" ruling.
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Warner Bros. has announced it will recast Johnny Depp's character in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts movie, where the Hollywood star was set to reprise the role of evil wizard Gellert Grindelwald. Depp had portrayed Grindelwald in the two previous installments of the franchise.
"We thank Johnny for his work on the films to date," the studio said in a statement on Friday.
The 57-year-old actor also said he was "asked to resign" from the role.
"I have respected and agreed to this request," Depp said in a statement on Instagram.
Depp's character, Gellert Grindelwald, featured prominently in the last 'Fantastic Beasts' movieImage: Warner Bros./Heyday Films/imago images
Depp decries 'surreal judgment'
The move comes just days after the actor lost a high-profile court case involving his ex-wife Amber Heard and the UK tabloid, The Sun. Depp and Heard divorced in 2017 and have since accused each other of being abusive.
Depp sued the newspaper over a 2018 article that described him as a "wife beater." Earlier this week, however, the actor lost the libel case, with the London High Court finding that the article "substantially true."
"The surreal judgment of the court in the UK will not change my fight to tell the truth and I confirm that I plan to appeal,'' he said. "My life and career will not be defined by this moment in time.''
Depp is also suing his ex-wife over a separate article in The Washington Post, claiming Heard implied he was violent to her.
Decadeslong career
The US actor scored his first hit with the 1984 horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street and has since starred in dozens of high-profile movies, including Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. His first appearance as Grindelwald was a brief scene in 2016 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, followed by Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald in 2018. The next movie is set to be released in 2022.
The franchise is set in the same universe as the Harry Potter movies, which are based on the books by British author J. K. Rowling.
'Harry Potter' cast to reunite for 20th-anniversary TV special
Twenty years after the film's release, stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint will "Return to Hogwarts." We revisit the lucrative Harry Potter franchise.
Image: Peter Mountain/Warner Bros. Pictures/imago images
Smiling at the premiere in 2001
Twenty years after the release of the first "Harry Potter" film, movie studio Warner Bros has announced that a 20th anniversary TV special will be released on HBO on January 1, 2022. In "Return to Hogwarts," cast members, including stars Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, will reunite to discuss how it all started. Author J.K. Rowling's name was not included in the announcement.
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World's most famous wizard
Boy wizard Harry Potter has been with us ever since author J.K. Rowling released the first book in her seven-part series in 1997. The first film adaptation was released in November 2001, with the final movie hitting cinemas a decade later. The film franchise took in some $7.8 billion (€6.9 million) at the global box office, and millions more in merchandising.
Image: Peter Mountain/Warner Bros. Pictures/imago images
The Potter universe expanded
Author J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" spin-offs are all box office hits, but she's also been making headlines for her controversial opinions on transgender issues. Stars of her films, including Eddie Redmayne (l.), have distanced themselves from her views. They are shown here at the premiere of "Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them" in 2016. A sequel is set to be released in April 2022.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Foley
Magical amusements
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park opened in Florida in 2010. More parks have since opened: at Universal Studios Japan, Hollywood and Beijing. They recreate the village of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts castle. Attractions include "a one-hour exploration experience on an enchanted bench." Technically, that's true — the ride queue takes about an hour. The actual journey lasts only four minutes.
Image: picture alliance/AA/M. N. Eroglu
Shopping paradise
In 2014, the Diagon Alley attraction opened at the other end of the Florida theme park, with the Hogwarts Express train ready to take visitors back and forth. Alongside the Gringotts Wizarding Bank (complete with dragon on the roof), this shopping paradise for wizards and witches offers everything imaginable. Broomsticks can be purchased for a mere $250 (€220).
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Deceptive sweets
The top seller are the Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans, produced by Jelly Belly, specialists in jelly beans with amazing flavors. A delicious treat? Not necessarily — ever since the first book, it's been clear these beans can also taste pretty disgusting. Some flavors: earthworm, rotten egg, soap, grass — even vomit. But with any luck, you might find something like melon, cotton candy or cherry.
Image: picture-alliance/S. Stache
Pilgrimage site King's Cross
The London train station hides a "secret" access portal to the magical platform 9 3/4, where the Hogwarts Express waits to whisk students away to school. Those who want to make it through need to concentrate and aim their luggage cart directly into the brick wall. It's become a must-see site for Harry Potter fans — though Muggles, or non-magic folk, won't get very far.
Image: AP
Bridge to Hogwarts
This bridge wasn't recreated at the Universal theme park — it's real. It, too, has become a stop on the Harry Potter sightseeing tour, though somewhat off the beaten track in the Scottish Highlands. The Glenfinnan Viaduct was built in the late 19th century and is part of the West Highland Line. The train in the picture, however, is not the Hogwarts Express but The Jacobite, a tourist steam train.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A.Robinson
Staying grounded
Quidditch, a full-contact sport, actually takes place in midair. Players fly about on brooms trying to throw the Quaffle through one of their opponents' three circular gates, while avoiding treacherous Bludgers. The player who manages to catch the elusive Golden Snitch wins the game. Muggles play a version of the game on the ground, as seen here in Bonn. Without magic, of course.
Image: Volker Lannert/Uni Bonn
Even more Potter
While the film stars are now adults, the 2016 two-part play "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" also looks into what happened to Harry Potter, two decades after the adventures in the books. He has become Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement at the Ministry of Magic and his son, Albus Severus Potter, is about to go to Hogwarts. The play is staged in different cities, including Hamburg.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/C. Gray
Online universe
The Pottermore website is the "digital heart of the magical world," home to everything fans could ever want: a space to interact, with quizzes, puzzles and — of course — an online shop. The 20th anniversary of the first Harry Potter film will not go unnoticed: "Get ready for weekly celebrations — including online events, special activities and more," says the site.
