MGM is attempting to bury the Minamata Movie, which brings awareness to the thousands of people that were affected by the Minamata disease (some of whom who are still suffering to this day) because actor Johnny Depp is the lead actor in the movie, and their excuse is that they are afraid that having him in the movie will result in negative backlash.

About the victims whom story is depicted in the movie:

Minamata disease was first discovered in the city of Minamata, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan, in 1956. It was caused by the release of methylmercury in the industrial wastewater from a chemical factory owned by the Chisso Corporation, which continued from 1932 to 1968. It has also been suggested that some of the mercury sulfate in the wastewater was also metabolized to methylmercury by bacteria in the sediment. This highly toxic chemical bioaccumulated and biomagnified in shellfish and fish in Minamata Bay and the Shiranui Sea, which, when eaten by the local population, resulted in mercury poisoning and widespread death and suffering. While cat, dog, pig, and human deaths continued for 36 years, Chisso and the Kumamoto prefectural government did little to prevent the epidemic, and even went as far as to try and bury it, much like MGM is for the time being attempting to do with this film. As of March 2001, 2,265 victims had been officially recognised as having Minamata disease (1,784 of whom had died)

You can read more about the situation with MGM here:

https://www.indiewire.com/2021/07/minamata-director-accuses-mgm-burying-film-johnny-depp-1234653673/

Not only is the public outraged by this, but they are banding together to push MGM to release the film with “#ReleaseMinamataMovie” which is currently trending on Twitter alongside “#JusticeForJohnnyDepp”. The people want to see this movie, and a large portion of the reason being that they want to support Johnny Depp, as it is now widely known that he is a victim of Domestic Abuse at the hands of his ex-wife, Amber Heard. 

The people refuse to stand by silently as Johnny Depp is yet again treated wrongfully (for things there is more than enough evidence readily available to prove that he did not do) with extreme bias by the morally corrupt and biased media, and Hollywood. Even putting Johnny Depp aside for one moment, MGM is clearly ignoring the weight of awareness this film carries, and that withholding Minamata’s release is depriving thousands of victims their voice, and their experiences. 

MGM: Read the room, and realize that the people want this movie released. This goes far beyond Johnny Depp and his trials over the last few years. If you were unaware, there is a Change Petition to “Remove Amber Heard from Aquaman 2” that’s garnered over 2 million signatures (and counting) Not to mention the success, support, and gratitude from the public for Dior, who has chosen to stand firmly with Johnny Depp for the sale of their cologne “Sauvage” which broke records in it’s sales. Negative backlash from the public is an unreasonable fear, as your releasing the movie will surely result in the exact opposite. 

We stand with Johnny Depp, and we stand with the victims and survivors of Minamata, and we hope this petition serves to prove to you, MGM, that we WANT the release of Minamata.