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Johnny Depp is set to be paid in full for the third Fantastic Beasts film, despite being asked to resign.
The actor confirmed in a statement last week that he would be no longer be starring in the upcoming film after Warner Bros. asked him to step down. The decision follows the dismissal of the actor’s defamation claims against The Sun, who called him a “wife-beater”.
A new report from The Hollywood Reporter has claimed that Depp will still be paid in full for reprising his role as Gellert Grindelwald in the third film, earning more with his eight-figure wage than co-stars Eddie Redmayne and Jude Law.
“Warner Bros. will be on the hook for Depp’s full salary, even though he only had shot one scene since production began on September 20 in London,” the report reads. “Like many A-list stars, Depp had a so-called pay-or-play contract, which requires that he be fully compensated whether or not the film is made and even if it is recast.”
It continued: “As is common with stars of his level, there was no morality clause in his contract, even though it was amended with each new instalment. Technically, Depp was not fired by Warner Bros. but asked to resign. It is unclear what recourse it would have had if the star refused.”
Warner Bros. commented on Depp’s departure on November 6 in a statement, saying: “Johnny Depp will depart the Fantastic Beasts franchise. We thank Johnny for his work on the films to date. Fantastic Beasts 3 is currently in production, and the role of Gellert Grindelwald will be recast. The film will debut in theaters worldwide in the summer of 2022.”
The film is currently set for a worldwide release on July 15, 2022.
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