By Jake Coyle, Film Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --Johnny Depp has exited the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise following his failed libel case against The Sun tabloid newspaper for a 2018 article that labeled him a "wife beater."
Depp said Friday in a letter posted on Instagram that he would depart the role of the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald after the studio requested his resignation. Depp said his announcement came "in light of recent events."
"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 and agreed to that request," said Depp.
Warner Bros. confirmed Depp's departure and said the role will be recast. "We thank Johnny for his work on the films to date," the studio said in a statement. The third "Fantastic Beasts" film is currently in production.
Depp also said he would appeal the decision earlier this week by a British judge. After hearing testimony from Depp and ex-wife Amber Heard in the high-profile case, Justice Andrew Nicol said that the allegations against Depp were "substantially true." Depp had sued News Group Newspapers, publisher of The Sun, and its executive editor, Dan Wootton, over an article accusing him of assaulting Heard.
"The surreal judgement of the court in the U.K. will not change my fight to tell the truth and I confirm that I plan to appeal," Depp said Friday. "My resolve remains strong and I intend to prove that the allegations against me are false. My life and career will not be defined by this moment in time."
"Fantastic Beasts," a prequel franchise spun off from the "Harry Potter" films, has grossed nearly $1.5 billion between 2016's "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and 2018's "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald."
Civil rights groups call on major corporations to stick with DEI programs
A broad group of civil rights organizations called on the CEOs and board members of major companies Thursday to maintain their commitments to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that have come under attack online and in lawsuits.
An open letter signed by 19 organizations and directed at the leaders of Fortune 1000 companies said companies that abandon their DEI programs are shirking their fiduciary responsibility to employees, consumers and shareholders.
The civil rights groups included the NAACP, the National Organization for Women, the League of United Latin American Citizens, Asian Americans Advancing Justice and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.
"Diversity, equity and inclusion programs, policies, and practices make business-sense and they're broadly popular among the public, consumers, and employees," their statement read. "But a small, well-funded, and extreme group of right-wing activists is attempting to pressure companies into abandoning their DEI programs."
Companies such as Ford, Lowes, John Deere, Molson Coors and Harley-Davidson recently announced they would pull back on their diversity, equity and inclusion policies after facing pressure from conservative activists who were emboldened by recent victories in the courtroom.
Many major corporations have been examining their diversity programs in the wake of a Supreme Court decision last year that declared race-based affirmative action programs in college admissions unconstitutional. Dozens of cases have been filed making similar arguments about employers. Critics of DEI programs say the initiatives provide benefits to people of one race or sexual orientation while excluding others.
In their letter, the civil rights organizations, which also included... Read More