Johnny Depp

In a letter to fans, Depp said he had been "asked to resign" from his role as Gellert Grindelwald and had "respected that and agreed to that request".

He called the libel judgement "surreal" and confirmed his plans to appeal.

Film studio Warner Bros confirmed Depp's departure and said his role would be recast.

"We thank Johnny for his work on the films to date," it said in a statement.

Depp, 57, had sued the publisher of The Sun newspaper over a 2018 article, which claimed he assaulted his ex-wife Amber Heard.

He accused Ms Heard of "building a dossier" against him after the court heard she wrote an email describing him as a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde character.

Mr Depp, 57, is suing the publisher of the Sun newspaper over an article that referred to him as a "wife beater".

The Sun has defended the accuracy of its story.

It had referred to "overwhelming evidence" that Mr Depp attacked Ms Heard, 34, during their relationship - which he strenuously denies.

The actor is suing the publisher of the Sun - News Group Newspapers (NGN) - and executive editor Dan Wootton, over an April 2018 article that referred to him as a "wife beater".

Mr Depp has strenuously denied that he was violent towards Ms Heard.

But NGN lawyers said the "wife beater" description was "entirely accurate".

Both Mr Depp and Ms Heard were in court in London on Tuesday morning.

A lawyer representing Depp said he had won an "eight-figure" settlement from Jake Bloom's firm, Bloom Hergott.

Depp had alleged Mr Bloom improperly collected more than $30m (£23m) over their 18-year working relationship.

A trial had been scheduled to begin in December.

The luxury French fashion brand posted a teaser of the new ad to Twitter on Friday (local time).

The since-deleted tweet promoted the Sauvage campaign as "an authentic journey deep into the Native American soul in a sacred, founding and secular territory". 

The extended video, filmed as part of the campaign for the US$120 (NZ$190) fragrance, shows Depp walking through Utah's red rocks, marking his path as a young woman follows him. The actress, Tanaya Beatty, is a Canadian of First Nations descent, the Guardian reports.

In newly filed court documents as part of his $50m (£39m) defamation case against her, Depp accused Heard of having "painted-on bruises".

"I have denied Ms Heard's allegations vehemently since she first made them in May 2016," he said.

A lawyer for Heard denied the allegations against his client.

Depp launched the defamation case against Heard after the actress described herself as the victim of domestic abuse in a piece in the Washington Post in December.

Heard asked a judge in Virginia to dismiss the lawsuit, prompting the new declaration from Depp.

In December, Ms Heard, also an actor, wrote an article for The Washington Post describing the backlash she faced due to speaking out about domestic violence.

Mr Depp's lawsuit says he "never abused Ms Heard" and the claims are "part of an elaborate hoax" to advance his ex-wife's career.

He is seeking $US50 million in damages.

Ms Heard first accused Mr Depp of domestic violence in May 2016, the year after they were married. Mr Depp was ordered to stay away from her and the couple divorced in 2017.

Depp took action against the company in 2017 claiming $25m (£20m) over their handling of his affairs, which he said left him more than $40m (£31m) in debt.

The Management Group then counter-sued, asserting that the actor had been responsible for his own money worries due to his $2m-a-month lifestyle.

A planned trial set for 15 August will not now go ahead.

No details have been given of the settlement but a spokesman for Depp said the actor was "pleased" with the outcome.

Currently touring with his band Hollywood Vampires, the 54-year-old seemed happy to sign autographs and take photographs with fans in footage posted online.

Depp sported a baseball cap that said 'FUGLY' and dark sunglasses in the images, and appeared "sick" to many social media users.

This is the second time the Pirates of the Caribbean star has recently triggered people into commenting on how thin and pale he looks, the first being in Russia a few days earlier.

"Johnny Depp is sick. Just look at this picture of him," said Twitter user Bryan700.

"Can you bring Trump here?" he asked the audience, as he introduced a screening of his film The Libertine.

After receiving jeers from the crowd, he added: "You misunderstand completely. When was the last time an actor assassinated a president?"

"I want to clarify," he added, "I'm not an actor. I lie for a living [but] it's been a while. Maybe it's about time."

'Just a question'