Johnny Depp asks to delay libel lawsuit against Amber Heard so he can film "Fantastic Beasts 3"
The interpreter does not stop in his battle against the actress, with whom he was married for 15 months, between 2015 and 2016. Now he is preparing for a second round, which this time will be in the United States
The legal battle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard continues. The actor is preparing to see his ex-wife's face again after suing her for defamation in 2019, but his professional commitments could interfere in the process, since the interpreter has requested a postponement of the trial to be able to film Fantastic Beasts 3, the new cinematic delivery of the Harry Potter universe.
Depp filed the $ 50 million lawsuit against Heard in 2019 for a 2018 opinion piece in the Washington Post in which the actress wrote about sexual and domestic violence, a few months after reaching a divorce settlement. Although the name of the interpreter is never mentioned in the editorial, the actor took legal action against him.
The news comes almost a month after Depp's defamation battle against the publisher News Group Newspapers, and the executive editor of The Sun newspaper, Dan Wootton, for an April 2018 article in which they called him a “beaten husband ”. While the 16-day court dispute has concluded, a verdict has not been reached. English judge Nicol is expected to make the ruling public this month.
The Fantastic Beasts 3 team was filming the production in London, but filming for the third installment in the saga was halted due to the coronavirus pandemic. Filming is expected to start again from October 2020 to February 2021, which conflicts with Depp and Heard's trial, which will take place from January 11 to 28 in a court in the state of Virginia, United States.
"When the court set the current trial date in this case, Mr. Depp understood that Warner Bros. planned to film 'Fantastic Beasts 3' in London long before January 11, 2021," states Depp's request for postponement , legal documents collected by the specialized site Deadline.
“COVID-19 disrupted study plans, causing repeated delays. As conditions in London have improved, Warner Bros. has set a shooting schedule that conflicts with the trial date in this case, "he adds. That is why the actor has asked the court to change the date of the trial to sometime between March and June 2021.
To support this request, Depp stated that he has no control over the filming schedule as there are 750 people working on the production, and that if he did not attend the shoot he would face a breach of contract with Warner Bros. Pictures.
Depp's petition further indicates that Heard and his attorney are available to meet on September 11 and discuss the possible postponement. He also points out that the delay would not be a detriment to the actress, who will film "Aquaman 2" in 2021.
The actors, who fell in love on the set, were married for 15 months, between 2015 and 2016. After requesting a divorce, Heard denounced him for domestic violence, and then he would reach an out-of-court agreement with his ex to end the marriage.
