Things are going from bad to worse for Johnny Depp, with the actor releasing a statement earlier today confirming that he won’t be returning for Fantastic Beasts 3 as Grindelwald, having been forced to resign by the studio. This is another major setback for the actor after he recently lost a libel case against a British tabloid, and his courtroom battles opposite ex-wife Amber Heard are also far from over.
Of course, Depp was dropped from the highest paying gig of his career as well after being given the boot from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise last year, despite the fact that his Captain Jack Sparrow was the main drawing card and selling point of the series. A lot of fans were furious at the news, and despite various petitions being launched, it doesn’t look as though the staunchly family-friendly Disney will budge.
There’s a sixth installment in the main saga and a spinoff starring Margot Robbie in the works, leading to rumors that Depp could potentially show up for a passing of the torch cameo to placate the fanbase and draw a line under his iconic tenure as Captain Jack. However, insider Daniel Richtman is now claiming that the Alice in Wonderland star definitely won’t be back for any more swashbuckling.
According to the tipster, Depp held meetings with both Warner Bros. and Disney following the verdict being announced for his libel case, and after being asked to step down by the former, talks have also reportedly come to an end with the latter about a potential Pirates of the Caribbean return. It isn’t good news for the former A-lister, and after having been kicked out of two big franchises in short order, he now faces a long road to make it back to the top.
