“They Wanted Me to Vanish”: Johnny Depp Breaks Silence on Fantastic Beasts Exit

After being asked to resign from Fantastic Beasts, Johnny Depp opens up about Warner Bros.’ decision, his raw reaction, and how it felt like a forced retirement.

Johnny Depp has finally opened up about the exact moment he was asked to step down from his role as Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, describing it as an abrupt and emotionally charged turning point in his career.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Depp recalled being in the middle of filming when Warner Bros. requested his resignation following the fallout from his highly publicized legal battle with The Sun newspaper. The tabloid had referred to him as a “wife-beater” in a 2018 article relating to his turbulent marriage with actress Amber Heard. Depp sued for defamation but lost the UK libel case in 2020, triggering a swift response from the studio.

“It stopped in a millisecond,” Depp told The Telegraph. “They said, ‘We’d like you to resign.’ But what I heard was, ‘We want you to retire.’” Reflecting on the emotional impact of that moment, Depp added, “F— you. There’s far too many of me to kill. If you think you can hurt me more than I’ve already been hurt, you’re gravely mistaken.”

Warner Bros. released a statement in November 2020 confirming Depp’s departure: “Johnny Depp will depart the Fantastic Beasts franchise. We thank Johnny for his work on the films to date. Fantastic Beasts 3 is currently in production, and the role of Gellert Grindelwald will be recast.”

Depp also addressed fans directly, saying, “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.”

Depp’s portrayal of Grindelwald first appeared at the end of 2016’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, where the villain had been disguised as Percival Graves (played by Colin Farrell). He returned in a lead role for the 2018 sequel The Crimes of Grindelwald.

After his departure, the role was handed over to Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen for 2022’s The Secrets of Dumbledore, which ultimately became the final installment of the franchise. Despite initial plans for five films, Warner Bros. has since put the series on indefinite hold.

Depp’s departure remains one of the most talked-about shifts in recent blockbuster casting history, and his candid reflections now add further context to a decision that shocked fans and divided Hollywood.