Johnny Depp Speaks Out on Fantastic Beasts Replacement: 'They Can't Hurt Me More'

Johnny Depp is finally sharing how he really felt about being removed from the "Fantastic Beasts" movies — and he's not holding back.
The actor, now 62, opened up in a new interview with The Telegraph about Warner Bros.' decision to ask him to leave the popular "Harry Potter" spinoff franchise back in 2020.
Back then, Johnny Depp had just lost a high-profile legal battle in the UK. He had sued "The Sun" newspaper for calling him a "wife beater" — a label connected to his previous marriage to actress Amber Heard — but the court ruled against him.
Although Depp denied the allegations, a judge ruled that the article was "substantially true."
Not long after the court decision, Warner Bros. requested that Johnny Depp step away from his role as Gellert Grindelwald in the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise.
According to ENews, Depp shared that everything came to a sudden halt while he was still working on the film. "They said, 'We'd like you to resign.' But what was really in my head was they wanted me to retire."
Johnny Depp Reacts to Being Replaced in Fantastic Beasts Role Amid Filming https://t.co/izfRURqbbK
— E! News (@enews) July 8, 2025
Read more: Johnny Depp Feared Amber Would Kill Him in His Sleep As Confidantes Expose Hellish Marriage
Johnny Depp Breaks Silence on Fantastic Beasts Exit
Now, after several years, Johnny Depp is finally opening up about what the experience was really like for him. "F— you," he said, recalling his thoughts in that moment, Deadline said.
"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."
In 2020, Johnny Depp shared a public message saying he had "respected and agreed" to Warner Bros.' decision to have him step down.
He also thanked his fans, writing, "I have been humbled and moved by your many messages of love and concern."
Johnny Depp made his debut as Grindelwald in 2016, appearing briefly at the end of "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."
He returned in 2018's "The Crimes of Grindelwald." Following Depp's exit, actor Mads Mikkelsen stepped in to play Grindelwald in "The Secrets of Dumbledore," which was released in 2022.
Even though Depp later won a defamation case against Heard in 2022 in the US, the earlier loss in the UK court had already cost him the magical role.
Today, "Fantastic Beasts" appears to be on hold. No new films have been announced, and the future of the series is uncertain.
© 2025 Enstarz.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.