The defamation trial between Johnny Depp and ex-wife Amber Heard has been delayed, but it isn’t because of Fantastic Beasts 3. Depp had previously been seeking a change of date for proceedings in order to film the upcoming JK Rowling sequel. Since initially taking on the role of evil wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the Harry Potter spin off Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Depp’s career has gone through some pretty seismic changes. Accusations from Heard of domestic abuse carried significant weight against the once highly employable star.
After Heard published an op-ed in The Washington Post about the abuses she endured, Depp turned around and filed a $50 million defamation suit against her. Since then, Depp has been dropped from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, and his list of upcoming productions is currently limited to the Fantastic Beasts sequel. On top of all this, production on Fantastic Beasts 3 has been repeatedly delayed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, production on the film has since resumed in the U.K., but the defamation suit’s court dates threatened Depp’s filming availability.
After requesting that the trial be delayed in order to permit his return as Grindelwald, it appears that Depp has gotten his wish. However, according to Deadline, the rescheduling of the defamation trial has nothing to do with Fantastic Beasts 3. Instead, the trial – which was to take place in Virginia, has been moved from January 11, 2021, to May 3, 2021 due to Covid concerns and the current freeze on jury trials. As things previously stood, the original court date also conflicted with Heard’s commitment to the upcoming production of Aquaman 2.
With the official announcement of the case’s rescheduling, Depp is set to be available for Fantastic Beasts 3 from September 17 until the end of February next year. This is great news for fans of the popular franchise, but an ongoing rise in recent Covid cases in the U.K. could still spell trouble for the production. At present there does not appear to be any plans to hold back, but the recent revelation that The Batman star Robert Pattinson has tested positive for the disease has cast a gloomy shadow over film productions in the U.K. and beyond. The Fantastic Beasts franchise is currently on the third of its proposed five films, meaning that Covid could be a continual thorn in its side if the pandemic isn’t beaten for some time.
For now at least, the best that Fantastic Beasts fans can do is focus on the fact that Depp has been cleared to return and production will continue until otherwise stated. It’s been two long years since Fantastic Beasts 2, and during that time a great deal of changes have occurred involving J.K. Rowling, its cast and the world as a whole. Hopefully the delays that have taken place so far will ultimately have a positive effect on the final product, but the future of the franchise could indeed still be challenging.
Source: Deadline
