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Jude Law has broken his silence on Johnny Depp's exit from the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them franchise.
Depp was asked to step down from the role of the dark wizard Grindelwald, whom he was due to play in the upcoming third movie in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them franchise.
Watch Depp's performance in the trailer for The Crimes of Grindelwald below:
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Speaking in an interview with Entertainment Tonight on the subject of the as-yet-untitled movie, Law stated:
"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.
"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.
"In a franchise like this, it’s the studio and the company that make the big decisions. And you have to go along with those because we’re just a member of the team."
Warner Bros film chief Toby Emmerich cut ties with Depp after his defamation claims against British newspaper The Sun were dismissed in court.
Depp sued the newspaper, and its executive editor Dan Wootton, after the tabloid called him a "wife-beater" when reporting on his high-profile divorce from Aquaman actress Amber Heard.
After Judge Andrew Nicol said that the Sun had proved what was in the article to be "substantially true", the studio opted to recast the role.
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Depp broke the news in a post made on his official Instagram account on November 7. In a statement to his 8 million followers, the 57-year-old actor wrote:
"In light of recent events, I would like to make the following short statement. Firstly I’d like to thank everybody who has gifted me with their support and loyalty.
"I have been humbled and moved by your many messages of love and concern, particularly over the last few days.
"Secondly, I wish to let you know that i have been asked to resign by Warner Bros. from my role as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts and I have respected that and agreed to that request. [sic]"
Per The Guardian, author JK Rowling had previously defended Depp, writing in her own statement in 2017:
"Based on our understanding of the circumstances, the film-makers and I are not only comfortable sticking with our original casting but genuinely happy to have Johnny playing a major character in the movies."
Per THR, the third Fantastic Beasts film is set for release on July 15, 2022.
