Earlier this month, Johnny Depp announced that he had stepped down from his role as Gellert Grindelwald in the third Fantastic Beasts movie, having been asked to do so by Warner Bros. following his failed defamation case against a UK tabloid.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Depp’s Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald co-star Jude Law was asked about his thoughts on the exit, with the Dumbledore actor offering up a diplomatic response on what he described as an “unusual” situation.
It’s an enormous film, and there are many, many layers to it. It’s probably one of the biggest productions I’ve ever worked on,” said Law. “And in a situation like this, you defer to the studio. That’s all you can do. Because you have to turn up and play your part.”
“It was unusual for me because, in fact, on this particular role. Johnny had actually only done a day’s filming, I think, on his own. [But] in a franchise like this, it’s the studio and the company that make the big decisions, aAnd you have to go along with those, because we’re just a member of the team.”
Fantastic Beasts 3 is currently in production, and it has been reported that Mads Mikkelsen is in final talks to take over the role of Grindelwald. Expect an official announcement soon.
Fantastic Beasts 3 is being directed by David Yates from a screenplay by franchise creator J.K. Rowling and Steve Kloves. Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Ezra Miller, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Katherine Waterston, and Jessica Williams are all set to return to the cast as Newt Scamander, Albus Dumbledore, Credence/Aurelius Dumbledore, Queenie Goldstein, Jacob Kowalski, Tina Goldstein, and Professor Eulalie Hicks respectively.
