I usually like to gloss over my disinterest and apathy towards the Harry Potter/Fantastic Beast universes, but here you go: I don’t really care. I haven’t read the books or seen the movies. I have no opinion: smart people say JK Rowling is a genius and the worlds she created are brilliant, and I believe all of that is true. I’d just rather read my murder mysteries and detective stories, honestly. Anyway, that’s my way of admitting that I wasn’t really engaged with all of the drama about Johnny Depp being cast in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, the sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
When the first image of the ensemble came out a few months ago, fans of the series were seriously pissed off, and those same fans were pissed when Depp was initially cast too. It’s not just that Depp is currently devalued as a movie star – it’s that he’s still getting high-profile work on big projects, even after Amber Heard told the world that he’s an abusive monster and, OH RIGHT, his management team and handlers knew all about his violence against her. So are people going to write off this franchise now that Depp is involved? Probably not. But it’s still a really terrible idea to send the director, David Yates, out to do “damage control” on Depp’s casting. This is what Yates told Entertainment Weekly:
Yates on the “accusations” against Depp for domestic violence: “Honestly, there’s an issue at the moment where there’s a lot of people being accused of things, they’re being accused by multiple victims, and it’s compelling and frightening,. With Johnny, it seems to me there was one person who took a pop at him and claimed something. I can only tell you about the man I see every day: He’s full of decency and kindness, and that’s all I see. Whatever accusation was out there doesn’t tally with the kind of human being I’ve been working with.”
Yates believes women… when those women say they haven’t been abused: Yates added several of Depp’s exes have come forward to publicly defend him, including Vanessa Paradis, Lori Anne Allison and Winona Ryder — who said Depp was “never abusive at all … I only know him as a really good, loving, caring guy” during their four-year relationship. “By testament, some of the women in [Depp’s] life have said the same thing — ‘that’s not the human being we know.’ It’s very different [than cases] where there are multiple accusers over many years that need to be examined and we need to reflect on our industry that allows that to roll on year in and year out. Johnny isn’t in that category in any shape or form. So to me, it doesn’t bear any more analysis. It’s a dead issue.”
Nope. Canceled. David Yates is canceled. Johnny Depp was canceled a while ago, but you should definitely double-check to make sure you renew your cancellation forms. What the sh-t is this domestic violence apologia? “With Johnny, it seems to me there was one person who took a pop at him and claimed something.” FFS, Amber didn’t “take a pop at him.” She filed for divorce after he violently assaulted her. If you remember correctly, she first tried to deal with the divorce situation quietly, through a private mediation, and he refused to settle it quietly, and that’s when she went public. And as I said in the opening paragraphs: Depp’s ex-managers KNEW ALL ABOUT THE ABUSE. They even know that Depp’s handlers were helping cover up his crimes against Heard. Yates’ whole argument seems to come down to “well, IF he did abuse her, he only abused her and no one else, so it’s fine, plus she’s a lying scheming bitch, or so I heard.” Canceled.
Photos courtesy of ‘Fantastic Beasts’ & Getty.
As a Potterhead, this hurts a lot. I really do not wish to see more of Depp.
It’s especially weird they cast Depp. He doesn’t have the star power he used to have, many of his recent movies have flopped, he is increasingly drunk on set, and people were going to watch a Potter-verse movie no matter what. They could have cast anyone. They could have kept Colin Farrell. Why Depp??
Depp does creepy and strange really well and he’s a good actor. I’m nuts about this prequel timeline in the story. I am a total potter head. Read every book to my kids and saw every film. I think Depp will make a great Grindlewald and I really like David Yates. He made most of the Potter movies and he’s a welcome return.
Well, as long as you’re entertained…
Johnny debt fans behavior is like teens twihard, they come to defend the drunk master every site or blog, they harass the journalists that interview Amber heard (like glamour magazine editor Twitter last week) it is disgusting, and when common sense say back to the that abuse and moginy excuses are disgusting they use tmz logic.
Johnny depp was a good actor now the alcohol and drugs damaged his persona for long time, he uses a ear piece to not decorate the texts , for real.
@Savasana Lotus
Creepy and strange? Hmm. Colin Farrell does that well too (see some of his indie offerings). My vote would have been Crispin Glover, who can be so off-putting onscreen as compared to Depp’s drunken murmering. Offhand — Michael Sheen, Victor Garber, Jake Gyllenhaal. Heck, after watching The Punisher, I think Jon Bernthal would have been great.
But I think they already had a contract with him before the abuse allegations came out (I think they had already even filmed the first movie?). They were stuck with him. HP world doesn’t recast. I too wish they would have just kept Colin Farrell. He’s so underrated to me.
My compromise is that I will watch it (because I can’t not watch anything HP), when it hits cable (I don’t get to the movies anymore with a 18 month old), but I don’t watch any of his other movies.
Doll, it’s not hard to see how it happened. JK Rowling wanted to buy his yacht. Then she did.
She’s a “feminist”, unless it gets in the way of her yacht buying.
BrandyAlexander: they could have bought out his contract. It’s been done many, many times before. Latest example of such a move is Kevin Spacey being replaced with Christopher Plummer weeks before the completed film’s punlic release.
LAK -Absolutely they could have. I just haven’t seen even 1 recast in the HP world. They seem to really like continuity in the movies. I remember they wrote out one of the characters in the last HP movie because the actor got into trouble rather than replace him. I think if his troubles came out before the movie was already set to hit the theaters, they would have replaced him. No studio would have wanted his baggage.
I still think they should have just figured out a way to make Colin Farrell look different enough that he could have just reprised the role and make it believable no one recognized him in disguise.
ETA – Actually, I take that back. There is a lot of sentiment of “he only had 1 accuser, who is not believable” (their sentiments, not mine) and so many people backed him. I don’t think the studio did care about his baggage, and they know anything HP will make money no matter what.
Uh, Dumbledore? I know the original actor died, but one of the most important characters, maybe the most important main character after the trio, was recast.
Grr, I forgot they recast Dumbledore. But as you pointed out, it was an important character, and the actor died. There was literally no choice.
But either way, I did change my sentiment and said I don’t believe the studio cared about Depp’s past and that’s why they went forward with it.
Flitwick, the Fat Lady, Pansy Parkinson, Lavender Brown and the Patil twins were all recast, off the top of my head, and I’m sure they’re not the only ones. Not major characters, true, but ones with enough screentime that it was noticeable.
Beluga, really???i guess I stand corrected then. I never noticed any of those recasts.
Like I said earlier – I want clinging to that theory anyway.
As a superfan I didn’t see the first Fantastic Beasts and I won’t see this one. JKR likes tweets about how Amber is a liar and a gold digger and I won’t have it. I’m really , really heartbroken over the whole situation.
Get the hell out… JKR likes tweets about amber being a liar??? Wow… I’m rarely shocked… please post a link if you’ve got it
If it’s true she “liked” those tweets (I need to see the receipts), bear in mind that clicking to “like” a tweet doesn’t mean you ACTUALLY like it. That’s an irksome perception issue with Twitter. It could be she was merely bookmarking something for reference.
JK is currently blocking on twitter every potterhead who asks politely for explanations …
Ugh, the above commenters are right. JKR is a fake feminist and the timing of her buying that massive, ridiculous yacht from JD was suspect. Not gonna watch the movie, or have anything to do with it.
She’s a coward and a fake if she’s supporting JD, blocking people who question her on twitter and liking gross tweets like that.
As for dream casting – would have loved to see Paul Dano in Jonnny Debt’s role.
@ Really: Johnny Debt. LOL Perfect!
My oldest daughter loves all of these books and she is beside herself waiting for this movie. My youngest wasn’t so into the books but loves the movies. I’m so conflicted because I don’t want to watch him at all or support the film because they hired him.
That’s a tough one Lucky – but you could perhaps turn it into a teachable moment for your kids if you choose not to support this. EG If your older daughter is old enough to go alone, you can tell her why you’re choosing not to accompany her and won’t pay for her movie ticket, and she can go on her own and pay her own way with allowance or earned money if she still chooses to attend.
As said by @i pet goat 2, below: “It’s about boycotting even if it sort of hurts you (and honestly, what a privilege to only have to forego a movie you would have liked to see to take a stand).”
Nope, won’t be seeing these movies. 2017 has been the year of boycotting lots of stuff because if the industry won’t do right by victims, I’ll use my pocketbook to try and create change.
It’s amazing that people automatically believed Heard. She was herself arrested for domestic violence. She threw the divorce at him two days after his mom died and he was in the middle of having to file claims against his agents. She demanded the 5 condos and 50 thousand a month, plus much more. When she saw that wasn’t going to happen, she ran to the police and said he abused her, but she wouldn’t file charges. She made sure People mag got the details, though. She had to be chased down, several times, to show for a depo. She also never wanted to testify in a court of law…only the court of gossip mags. The police saw no signs of domestic violence. This was going to come up in court, if she had been willing to swear in court. Elon Musk had been sniffing around her ever since she married. She probably saw more money in that direction. Heard’s friends once said she could go “trailer park” real fast. And she did.
Oh dear Erin. That’s not even close to how it played out
There are actual text messages from his team confirming he physically assaulted her… but I bet the evil witch somehow planted them!
That’s twisting the facts.
Heard and her girlfriend were having a verbal fight at an airport, a (male) airport employee intervened, when he learned they were lesbians he called the police to make a false report of domestic violence over BOTH women’s objections. The police officer who attended was duty bound to follow procedure but nothing came of it since the alleged victim was right there saying it was a lie. Heard’s ex girlfriend has been consistent in saying there was no violence and that the false arrest was an act of homophobia.
Depp has had domestic abuse rumours following him since the 80s, has been convicted of assault, and has made very disturbing comments in dozens of interviews over the decades about his love of violence, his substance abuse which led his family to stage an intervention for fear he’d die, and his extreme anger issues. Including quotes like how gets “hillbilly rages” where he’ll do anything to destroy the other person including biting them and trying to gauge their eyes out. He gave a quote to a magazine after he was released from jail for assaulting a photographer saying it was worth going the jail to be able to see “the look of fear on the little maggot’s face.”
His own comments prove he is violent and dangerously unstable. Why are his fans ignoring his own words?
Did she also persuade his agents to confirm that they knew he abused her and did nothing?
Erin, your post is so full of untruths that I don’t know where to start. For shame.
Erin, you’re on the wrong site honey. TMZ is thattaway –>
I guess he doesn’t need my my $60, then. There’s no way I’m taking my kids to see that movie. Depp has put me on the fence to begin with.
I know, and it’s kind of killing me. I loved the first Fantastic Beasts and to know that I cannot watch the second one sucks. But I’m not giving my money to any film that has him in it. I’m a survivor of domestic violence, and he can F off.
I was enjoying the first one and then when Depp was revealed, I was just like WHYYYY?! I would certainly have taken my kids to the second one if Depp wasn’t in it, but here we are. We’ll skip it.
I actually laughed out loud when Depp was revealed. I used to love him, but he’s such a joke to me now. The abuse on top of trying to paint Amber in a bad light was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me.
Fanty, I’m with you on this one.
If I watch it is when It shows on cable.
I won’t either. His abuse is so much worse than they are making it out to be. He beat up Kate Moss, and he was very violent to Winona and Vanessa. He did crazy insane stuff at the Viper Room. What kills me is that people hedged around and whispered that he destroyed hotel rooms or acted out but his junk was covered up for a long time. Only now is it coming out a very little.
When I say abusive, I mean broken bones and ER visits.
I won’t support one thing of his.
UGH. Why, Yates? Why?
Love HP, but have already cancelled Fantastic Beasts. I’m with Amber.
It’s about boycotting even if it sort of hurts you (and honestly, what a privilege to only have to forego a movie you would have liked to see to take a stand).
If it’s a dead issue to him, then he is dead to me. His movies are, too.
Yep. I rented Fantastic Beasts rather than see it in the theater but now that Yates is talking about Depp in those terms? I’m done. Not even Jude Law as Dumbledore can get me into the movie theater. Cancelled.
When I heard Depp was cast/has a cameo in the first installment, which I was looking forward too, I decided to boycott the movies. They ain’t gettin my money and this dungbag just solidified my opinion
I saw the movie opening night and didn’t know Depp was in it. When he appeared I was so bummed because it meant I would not being seeing the sequels, even though I am JK’s biggest fan.
Pretty much had the same feeling. I actually laughed at his revealed because it was so stupid to me. It kind of ruined things. I am a huge Potterhead but now I’m not as excited to see the sequel.
You didn’t miss much. The movie is dull and derivative. I won’t be seeing the sequel partially because of Depp but also because it’s a lame cash grab. Not good at all.
Yea I saw the last movie for free but I won’t be seeing this one even though I’m a huge potter fan. I’m not supporting Depp and I’m pretty firm and consistent about boycotts
I didn’t see the last one because JK was already defending Depp back then and don’t intend to watch this one. But it hurts because Jessica Williams has a role in this one that was created just for her and Jessica Williams is my everything, I want to support every project she’s in.
I love her, but will still have to pass on the movie.
Do you listen to her podcast?
I don’t think they’re going to look at the box office and think to themselves that Jessica is responsible for whatever the number ends up being. And yes, I love her podcast and they’re doing with it!
It is because of disgusting declarations like this that proves hollywood outrage is justo a front and a fake cover. Nothing will change and i feel for amber heard to be put on this mess again because trash people want to defende this abuser
See the Matt Lauer firing… its the first time they say he’s been accused, but they fired his ass straight away…
And that’s how you respond to the news some douchebag MIGHT HAVE abused someone…
So sad, but the Harry Potter-verse is now cancelled in my book… F—k Yates and Depp
Yup cancelled.
And we’ll have to add JK Rowling to that list too. She is in this mess too and blocks people on twitter who remind her of what Depp did.
https://twitter.com/marioncotilards/status/931860339716755456
oh wow. that sucks. So she’s woke as long as it doesn’t impact her income?
Much as I like Joanne, she doesn’t like being shown up when she’s wrong.
Who does?
She always defended him.
She was so cancelled after her attacking everyone on Twitter that I ended up blocking her, she is one of the only celebrities I blocked, together with Donald Trump and Katie Hopkins.
She is a sanctimonious dumpster and as feminist as my shoes.
Here’s a good summary of JKR’s response. you can also see the clip on you tube of her saying she’s “delighted” with Depp’s casting.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/eleanorbate/jk-rowling-johnny-depp-casting?utm_term=.rxNdMdnaJ#.gjrb4b9z6
Whyyyyy. Why does it need to be a perfect victim (or victims in this case!!) for them to be believed? I believe you Amber. I loved the first fantastic beasts movie and I adore Eddie redmayne. But I’m not going to see this.
He didn’t consider that he didn’t see Johnny Depp’s wife abusing side because you know…he’s not his wife?
Bingo
Also, just because Winona and Vanessa said he didn’t abuse them, we can believe them but it shouldn’t make us disbelieve Amber?? So who decides who to believe and who not to?
It was really, really weird and wrong for them to do that. Even if he never abused Vanessa, it has no relevance to what happened with Amber. All Vanessa and Winona did was undermine a woman with plenty of hard evidence. People coming out saying “he never abused/harrassed me” are so stupid. Good for you, you were lucky! But no one needs to hear your story of not being abused by an abuser. It. Is. Not. Relevant.
Eh. They were being hounded with the question, and people were using their silence as proof that they were in fact abused. Winona especially even qualified it with saying she wasn’t calling Amber a liar, and she wasn’t there, just that she herself had not been abused. Let’s not blame them for other people’s terrible behavior.
Women have been forced to deny physical abuse because of retribution and they should know that and NDAs. Amber was savvy enough to prove it with photos but her situation was very different.
I’m so disappointed with JK Rowling too.
She defended him und his casting!
I’ve seen some really heartbreaking posts on Twitter when the new promo pics showing Depp came out. Harry Potter Fans who say the Potterverse was their escape from abuse and how they can’t stomach that she allows and praises abusers to play her characters.
Duplicate comment oops
That’s Hollywood for you SMDH!
It wasn’t one person who took a ‘pop’ at him, it was his wife who said he assaulted her and he did. You lie down with dogs you get up with fleas.
You know I wonder what Eddie Redmayne and Ezra Miller think of this whole mess- they have now worked with both Heard and Depp… Redmayne with Heard on the Danish Girl and Ezra is in the Justice League with her… hmmm??
“ I wonder what Eddie Redmayne and Ezra Miller think of this whole mess”
They’ll keep their mouths shut and tow the party line like good little franchise stooges. Not everyone has Jessica Chastain’s guts.
Men close ranks around each other. I wish women did the same more often.
Never gonna watch any of his movies, I had to pass on Murder of the Orient Express too.
Never gonna watch any of his movies.I had to pass on Murder on the Orient Express too.
He only abused amber so it is not a big deal. This is the most revolting response ever, i will not watch this.
Amber had pictures, people supporting her story (not paid people like depp), medical records, she gave her testemony to The judge (contrary to depp) she had phone texts, pictures, videos, …. The story that tried To pin against her about her ex girlfriend tasya vanree was debunked by tasya herself.
It is not a dead issue to the victims of domestic violence
I really wish in this post-Weinstein era that more women would just fess up already if he was aggressive/abusive with them. I think Amber was so brave in doing it when she did (pre-Weinstein). I’m furious for her that she was vilified the way she was.
THESE QUOTES MADE ME SO ANGRY
I am so, so angry.
I cannot believe the way this director-scum brushed off domestic violence like that. RAGE
I fell asleep during the first FANTASTIC BEASTS and never intended to see the second one. I know most actors, even the serious ones, want franchises, but Redmayne made a very unimpressive choice. So the offensive nonsense this director is spouting is just one more reason to avoid the franchise.
I really really wanted to see this but nope. I decided after the gut punch of seeing Depp’s face in the first that I wouldn’t see any of the sequels. They got my money the first time because I didn’t know he was in it. They don’t get another cent from me.
Wow, that is an absolutely horrible statement.
the most baffling thing to me is that amber had a video of depp being drunk and aggressive, so it’s beyond me how can people deny it? and it scares me as well, because there are people who have watched him behaving like that and were like ‘well, he’s hitting/banging cabinets not her!’, and it just goes to show how accepting we are of men behaving aggressively and intimidatingly towards women. we accept it as normal. so a woman with pics and videos of this aggression doesn’t matter because it’s only one person, and in the video he wasn’t specifically hitting her anyway.
sometimes i find the world a truly depressing place. oh, and as much as i love alison sudol (she plays queenie), NO WAY i’m giving a single penny to this film. bye.
I was so hoping you’d cover this. I was disgusted after reading what David said. I’m a hard-core HP fangirl and have been since the first book came out. I was beyond disappointed when they tapped Johnny Depp for this role. And as someone who loves the HP moves that David directed, he’s on my “nope” list now. What a tool.
Also, I can’t believe they weren’t a little horrified by his threesome (with two women wayyy too young for him) in the music video for Marilyn Manson that just came out. Talk about a gross and creepy thing for this franchise to be linked to. It was so weird.
Oh, Kaiser, it’s like we are twins sometimes. I, too, don’t care about HP and rather stick to mysteries and detective stories.
This statement is crap and I hope it comes back to bite this odiot in the butt.
Also, if JK Rowling supports Depps casting, than I hope it bites her in the butt, too.
I will not support Depp in any shape or form so this movie is a big NO for me.
Johnny Depp was never charged with Domestic Violence; his ex wife threatened him with that unless he gave her what she wanted in the Divorce! But, his ex wife, Amber Heard was arrested for Domestic Violence against her ex girlfriend and she even tried to make it disappear when she first got together with Johnny Depp!!!
go back to where you came from.
Tasya vanree said multiple times that amber heard didnt abused her, actually they are still close friends.
Johnny trash depp apoligists parade/tmz published a gaslighting campaing To discredit her, even when amber heard was never prosecuted for domestic violence. So instead of defending and lying about someone you should check tasya vanree own words instead of j depp lies campaing.
And his own managers who confirmed Amber’s abuse.
Maybe his selfcontrol was better before he lost control over his substance abuse and therefore did not abuse his former partners?
But when he messed up his life, he took it out on Amber Heard?
People with substance abuse usually change for the worse, not for the better. (and thats no excuse)
exactly. that’s most likely the case, he’s probably quite lovely when not completely drunk or on drugs, but since he has a gigantic problem with substance abuse and everyone knows it, i don’t understand how some people can still deny it.
Depp’s violent tendencies AND alcoholic tendencies were known right from the beginning when he was a teen idol on 21 Junp Street in the 80s. Yates saying no one can collaborate Amber’s story (hello Depp ex-managers in court filings) or collaborate abuse stories is lying because this stuff is very well known. Has been for 30yrs.
Not to mention the very high profile abuse of hotel rooms whilst drunk and high in the 90s + the violent relationship with Kate Moss.
Yates is part of the hollywood system that protects the abusive stars because as a member of the community, he’d have to have lived under a rock these past 30yrs NOT to have known about Depp.
Thank you. This lying is too much for me. If he had not been famous and it had not been pre-internet social media years, he would be in jail. Clint Eastwood is another “hero” abuser.
I enjoyed the first one and as much as i want to see this one, esp Jude Law as a young Dumbledore I might give it a pass at the cinema due to Depp.
Am disappointed in Rowling!!!!!
Only way in which Johnny depps spousal abuse could be described as a dead issue: “yes the allegations against Johnny are a dead issue because if the court had not given her the necessary restraining order she could have wound up dead. It is a dead issue because she could have died; he could have killed her. It is also a dead issue because Johnny Depp is dead to me, David yates, and I am firing him from this movie.”
IOW if he did assault her, she probably deserved it, is how this reads to me.
This is such a bummer. I love all things Potter and read every single book out loud with voices to my son over a couple of years. We adored Fantastic Beasts (which didn’t feel at all derivative) but I’m going to have to skip the next installment. That’s disappointing but I’m not giving my money to someone who’s blowing off domestic violence. That also means I’m going to have to have a conversation with my son, who’s 8, about why. I think there are age appropriate ways of doing that, just need to think about how.
That’s an awesome idea, Lindy! You sound like a great mom.
Amazing Way To Go
Dear Kaiser, so delighted that you are a kindred spirit regarding Rowling’s oeuvre (and on the flip side, a fan of detective fiction — ditto). My initial aversion to the Harry Potter universe was due to the perceived coasting on my beloved Roald Dahl books, so I never go into it, and then the cult/herd mentality was very off-putting.
Still, I went to see Fantastic Beasts (at a second-run cinema) knowing very little about it, on the expectation of wonderful fantasy and visuals, which there were, but the plotting was a mess. The Honest Trailer for the movie really nails all the issues.
I wouldn’t be tempted to see a second iteration, but the Johnny Depp thing a last straw for sure. Ew.
I remember two weeks before the divorce this site had pictures of an event. Amber Heard was posing on the red carpet. I noticed a bruise on her arm that had all the markings of somebody grabbing her. My first thought when I saw the bruise was Depp was abusing her. Then two weeks later the allegations came out. I will always believe her. Depp is dead to me. I wouldn’t see him if he was standing on my doorstep. Abusers are monsters and their supporters are in the monster crowd too.
I am a Potterhead. I don’t understand why they didn’t let Johnny go. His character can easily be changed. His character in the stories adapted different personas. I am also side eyeing JK Rowlings for this.
After the news of the divorce broke there was a fan site that put together a lot of pictures of Amber heard with scratches and bruises in diferent occasions during their relationship, so probably was a situation that was happening for a long time.
I believe Amber heard, I already saw domestic violence first hand and the behavior was so similar.
Also Johnny Depp is surrounded by Yes people and is addicted (during their relationship Amber heard tried to put him on rehab) and this path of giving him a pass for his behavior is still on, he will continue being the abusive mess he is nowadays.
As a huge Harry Potter fan, I say fuck this guy. I was already not going to see this movie because of Depp, but now I hope it tanks so WB can finally fire Yates out of the franchise. There was only one decent movie out of four or five he directed anyways.
Sadly I think FB will be a huge success…
Ugh. And just this morning I read an interview with Ridley Scott detailing how fast he made the decision to toss Kevin Spacey and reshoot that role with Christopher Plummer in his upcoming film. What a contrast.
Who’s really surprised, though? People should just, like, not talk. They dig themselves deeper into their graves every time they open their mouths. Very disappointed of course, but this is a depressingly common view people (men) take when faced with tough issues. “Well I never saw it and only ever heard about it and I’m friends with the guy and he’s cool so everything must be fine.” Gloss it over, pretend it didn’t happen, treat it like you’re appalled in theory but in practice it couldn’t possibly be as bad as all that. If studios want to keep casting abusers they better go ahead and do it and not stand around talking about it. Or actually, no. Keep talking! It makes them look worse and worse by the day and (hopefully?) will spur enough people to stay home and not spend money on these projects.
I love Harry Potter, but I haven’t gotten into the extended universe at all. Maybe I’ll buy the books and skip the movies. Books are better anyway.
Boycotting the movie is wrong. No matter what you thinks of Depp.
The other actors had zero control over who was cast in this movie. Everyone in Hollywood knew about Depp. and gasp! Amber too, at one point in their relationship when she was getting cold feet about marrying Depp.
I’m going to boycott this movie, not only they know he is abusive but they defend him like domestic violence is nothing, JK Rowling is always preaching everybody about moral and decency but is pretending that this drunker is not abusive, so the abuser, the double standard writer and the victim blaming director will be boycotted by me and kids.
I’m sorry for the rest of the cast but I’d Ridley Scott showed the world what moral ground is the rest can’t pretend it doesn’t exist.
What do you suggest is the right thing to do? Watch the movie to support the violent Depp and misogynistic Yates? Keep giving them what they want, and they will keep doing what they want.
So the fact that the Director brushed off domestic violence as a “dead issue” doesn’t matter at all? The director speaks for the film. Any argument that it was just “one actor’s issue” is now destroyed because the director has gone on record as a misogynist.
It is not “wrong” – anyone can choose to boycott or not at any time, for any reason. It’s your money; you decide what you want to do with it, and how and where you want to spend it.
“Everyone in Hollywood knew about Depp. and gasp! Amber too, at one point in their relationship when she was getting cold feet about marrying Depp.”
Yes, “gasp!”, being a VICTIM of domestic VIOLENCE can mess with your mind. She is no less a victim. Your gasping is tacky.
They just needed someone with a big name to bring press (good or bad) who can also play an eccentric character alarmingly well. Who fits the bill? Why good ol’ Captain Jack Sparrow, aka Edward Scissorhands, aka Willy Wonka #2, aka Sweeney Todd, etc. etc. etc. who really would have been more perfect?
I believe Amber Heard 100%. I also believe Johnny was/is an addict and they were a volatile couple. Some people bring out the worst in me and make me want to beat the holy hell out of them. Not saying I would, but if I were drunk or drugged up I might just simply because I would have less control over my impulses. Makes him less of an abuser? No. Is it chronic? Eh, time will tell.
He is addict yes but it doesn’t justified his behavior or make it less abusive towards Amber heard, also it didn’t give him a passa on how he and his team behavior after she asked for divorce like he was a poor lost little boy and victim blame her with tmz paid help.
His behavior was awful and showed how strong and brave a victim must be to get out of a situation like that to be victimized all over again next by his friends, press, lawyers, etc, it was all about humiliation and power control and that wasn’t only because he had addiction issues it is because he is a piece of trash.
Honestly, I’m more disappointed that he didn’t just admit it and apologize and get some help but then again, would that make him less of a villain on the situation?
Most likely, yes, if he really meant what he said, apologized, made amends and actually got help. People love a comeback story, and Hollywood especially does. But he was too intent on continuing to control, and harm Amber any way he could, including blaming her for his actions. I was a fan, now I can’t stand the sight of him.
Beating your wife is a “dead issue” to the Director, is it? My a**.
I will not spend one single cent ever to support any project with Johnny Depp involved.
Tom Cruise and his oddball “religion” also earn zero money from me.
Draw a line with your box office clout movie goers.
Actually, it was the other way around – he took a pop at her. Asshat.
Omg – Yates is canceled! And I’ll never watch anything w Depp in it again!
I’m a huge Potterhead, but this series didn’t interest me and now I definitely won’t be watching with Depp involved… I’m surprised Rowling would ok that.
She not only approved, she was positively thrilled when he was hired, and told people on Twitter to more or less eff-off when they expressed surprise at her support of such a problematic man. My esteem of Rowling took a serious hit when she did that.
I was a fan of the Potter series. Books and movies.
Went to see this movie. Was surprised to see Depp in it. That wasn’t revealed until the end.
Decided if they kept him (which would have been easy to change… buddy is somewhat of a shapeshifter, if I recall correctly) I would not go see another.
And well, there you have it; they kept him. They lost me.
I wonder if theatres track returned tickets against purchased tickets. If they do, I’m tempted to buy a bunch of tickets, go to the theatre, watch until he shows up and then leave and demand my money back.
I won’t see anything he’s in. Cancelled.
I loved Fanastic Beasts, and can’t wait to see this!! Depp will be great in this role.
We’ve seen so many of these “defenses”, but this is one of the worst I’ve EVER seen. He manages to use all of the stupid reasoning people use in these sitiation: “Just one person so she must be lying”, “He seems nice so she’s lying”, “He wasn’t convicted, so she’s lying”.
She also managed to make Amber a non-person: “someone” vs. a man full of “kindness and decency”. I honetly ache for Amber, a person I used to dislike.
Also, I hate that Harvey has become the unreachable bar people have to reach in order to be “real” abusers. To a lot of people, 1-4 victims don’t count at all.
I’m still gonna pay top dollar to watch this movie!! This thing of trying to ruin people’s lives over mere allegations has got to stop.
“ruin people’s lives” A few less dollars to people that are already stupidly wealthy is ruining their lives?
But I mean who cares about their victims lives right? LESS MONEY TO THE RICH ABUSERS HOW SAD
Please point me to a single case in the me-too era(or before) where someone’s life was ruined over “mere allegations”. All cases have gone through investigative journalism or internal investigation by employers. Facing professional repercussion doesn’t need a court verdict. Also, 1-2 abusers are still called liars by the majority of people right off the bat. As an example, I refer you to the first woman who accused Ed Westwich if rape.
It is really odd that you didn’t write “This thing of ABUSING WOMEN has got to stop.”
The horrible thing about this situation isn’t that we are becoming aware of it and heroes are falling. The horrible thing is that women are being abused, harassed and assaulted in the first place!
Wow, Yates’ choice of words is refreshingly pre-me-too. /s
But seriously: “took a pop at” and “dead issue?” Revolting and out of touch doesn’t even begin to describe it.
And I’m really disappointed to hear JK Rowling is a Depp supporter. I’ve never been a Harry Potter fan. The books sounded derivative, and the movies are boring buckets of tween angst.
I did rent Fantasic Beasts to watch with my son b/c JD had only a bit part. Surprisingly I liked it. Won’t get a chance to see if we like the 2nd one.
Bite me Yates and Rowling.
Harvey Weinstein effect we want to see – more women coming forward and the society discussing openly the problem of abuse and changing the system slowly.
The Harvey Weinstein effect among apologists – there were multiple women, not an isolated inccident so leave whoever abised just one woman alone.
Yeah, I was gonna say, I am not interesed in seeing Depp in anything anymore much less send kids to the movies so this douchbag can profit off of them but this director is making things even worse. And by the way, I would really want to see the Orient Express movie and support Ken Branagh but I tried watching an interview with the cast but I could not get past the Depp baggage. Not even as talented host as Graham Norton could not shift my focus away from Depp.
I agree, I believe Amber and I wonder what JK Rowling has to say since she’s always criticizing everyone from her moral high ground on Twitter. Why has she kept so quiet about this (she has veto power on cast, and all that had to say was that she was so delighted about Depp’s casting).
I think Yates expressed himself terribly in this, but if we look at things coldly, there’s also a complex situation here. Because Amber withdrew her accusation and settled, there’s really no legal record anymore of what Depp did. It’s also true his exes came in his defense, but it’s not surprising to me that he wasn’t abusive to them. Seems like his abusive behavior is a consequence of his current alcoholism, which doesn’t excuse it but explains why he’s never had such behavior before. What is the right way to deal with accusations of violence that are later withdrew? Because if we are going to still demand none of these people work in Hollywood, we should also cancel Michael Fassbender, for example. It’s a difficult line to work with. I wish someone would force Johnny Depp into rehab, I don’t think he’s a terrible person but he’s definitely been terrible in the past two years or so.
In this case, just because there is no record of it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. And Amber withdrawing her charges means he will continue to have no record of abuse and when he is accused again, people will say it’s a one off and or lies because of the lack of a record.
The fact is that Depp was known to be violent and with substance issues as far back as the 21 Jump Street era in the 80s. He punched a producer on set, was abusive and belligerent to co-workers. He was arrested on a few occassions because of ‘altercations’ with various people. Charges later dropped or withdrawn. Incidents spun to enhance his rebel artist image.
He continued to misbehave all the way to Vanessa trashing hotels, beating up paps, being a drunk or drugged out d-bag to all and sundry whilst his publicists paid for it all to go away, charges to be dropped or withdrawn and all spun as the outbursts of a rebel artist.
His violent relationship with Moss was spun as being ‘very passionate’ instead of the reality of substance abuse and physical abuse.
His time with Vanessa was the only time we didn’t hear about his substance abuse issues or any physical abuse. Yet it happened. A few incidents with public witnesses, but better publicists feeding a narrative of Vanessa is the woman who finally tamed him.
All hell broke loose when he started up with Amber. Which really means that Vanessa stopped covering for him and Amber didn’t try. And everyone blamed Amber as if this was a one off or the root cause of his violent, substance abuse issues. The cleaned up, no charges therefore no record slate means people give him a pass. And lucky for him, social media didn’t exist then.
@LAK
But Winona Ryder also defended Depp, and she was with him before Vanessa happened.
Yep, all this exactly!
I had already decided that I wasn’t going to watch the sequel when at the endnof the first movie Grindelwald took of his hot Colin Farrell mask to become JD. The director is just reinforcing my decision not to watch the sequel. I’ not giving my hard earned cash to abusers and to those who just continue to defend them.
“took off his hot Colin Farrell mask to become JD. ”
Yeah, that was a sad moment for me too. Colin Farrell was so good! I mean, even if Johnny Depp is the ‘real’ face of Grindelwald, there’s no reason Grindelwald can’t continue to pass himself off as Colin Farrell, right?
😉
Exactly! It would be so simple! Call Colin Ferrell back! I would still not give my money due to the director, but the franchise would be better without JD’s name attached to it.
I usually enjoying reading stuff here and don’t say anything , I can’t believe this dumb idiots comments! didn’t see the first one wont see this one cant stand dippy depp and well never see anything with he junkie self again!
Just give it a rest. Yes we all know he’s an abuser, a drunk and a few more things. If you’re so upset about him quit writing reports about him and the things he does with his life and career. You just continue to glorify him even more and keep him in the spotlight even though that’s not you’re intention.
When it finally, indisputably comes out into the open that Depp is an abusive, drunk, drugged, aggressive shitrag, it’ll be another Weinstein situation. ‘Oh, everyone knew. It was an open secret.’ The evidence is already out there and has been for years.
Add to that the fact that he’s a terrible choice anyway. All of his recent roles have been ‘Johnny Depp playing Character’ rather than ‘Character’. He used to disappear into roles, despite being distinctive, now he’s a mess.
Within the rules of the Potter world, it would have been a piece of cake to recast him. His character changed his appearance to look like Colin Farrell, so make it a double layer disguise. Better yet, make it a bluff and bring back Colin Farrell.
I’ll be watching the film, but I won’t be paying a penny to anyone involved in making it. Support your local libraries instead, people!
As a Potterhead it really sucks because of course I want to enter the magical world again, but I also dont want to support Depp. Although the first Fantastic Beasts movie was fine, didnt blow me away or anything.
So… a male director gets to unilaterally decide the time line for which violence against women matters? Or is relevant? Uh – no. Sit down, dude.
The casting was wrong from the start, I cringed when I saw Depp in the first Fantastic Beats. Did JK Rowling ever said something about this? She usually is very outspoken so I expect her to in this case too.
There is a youtube video about Depp being a pedophile and in the comments sections a girl wrote a lot of comments about how Depp sexually abused her friend when her friend was a small child. don’t know if it is true but it was pretty crazy stuff and her story was really interesting. Her friend is a boy btw.