Not too long ago the news broke that Johnny Depp was getting the boot from the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them franchise. The superstar actor who played main villain Grindelwald had resigned from the role after Warner Bros. requested it, following his lost libel lawsuit against British tabloid The Sun. It’s not all bad news for Depp though, despite the fact that he will not be in the third film: his contract still stipulates that he will be paid his full salary regardless of his participation.
Though the actor only filmed a single scene for the film so far, he will still be receiving a complete 8-figure payout as though he had completed the film. While this isn’t a typical contract, someone with the star power of Johnny Depp has a lot of bargaining power to get these kinds of protections into his deals. This stipulation is usually called “pay-or-play” agreement, meaning the actor gets paid whether they finish the film or not. It’s a pretty sweet deal for those who have the leverage to secure it.
Warner Bros. has not made an official statement on the reasoning behind this move, but sources say they were waiting for an official court ruling on the fallout between Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard. Heard made several allegations of abuse against Depp, and in response The Sun ran a story calling Johnny Depp a “Wife Beater.” Since then more details have come to light that make the situation much messier, and suggest that Heard was also acting abusively, including physical attacks on Depp. While the exact details are a he-said she-said situation, the court ruled that regardless of the reasoning and context, there was enough evidence to suggest Depp did hit Amber Heard, making the claim of “Wife Beating” “substantially true.”
After this decision came down, Warner Bros. reportedly asked Depp to resign, partially due to fears over PR backlash, and partially due to Depp’s continued involvement in several suits against Heard that could disrupt shooting the film. Though J.K. Rowling publicly stood by Depp in a 2017 statement and has significant influence over the film’s production, she reportedly did not object to his being asked to resign. As of now it is unclear what Depp’s future in Hollywood looks like, though it seems for the time being, he may be taking a step back until ongoing litigation is resolved.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
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