Johnny Depp has finally spoken about being asked to resign from the Fantastic Beasts franchise by Warner Bros. His departure in November 2020 stemmed from his libel battle with News Group Newspapers over domestic abuse allegations made by his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Depp told The Telegraph he felt 'shunned, dumped, [and] cancelled' in the aftermath, believing the studio wanted him to retire. A June 2022 jury found Amber Heard defamed Depp, awarding him over $10m in damages, while Heard received $2m in damages in her counter-suit. Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen replaced Depp as Gellert Grindelwald, admitting it was 'very intimidating' to take on the role.