Less than a week after asking Johnny Depp to resign from his role as Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3, Warner Bros. may have already found his replacement. According to Deadline, Mads Mikkelsen is director David Yates’ top choice to step in as the new Grindelwald. The actor is currently “in talks” to play the dark wizard in the upcoming sequel.
Mikkelsen is known for a variety of different roles, including his three-year stint as the title character on NBC’s Hannibal series. He also appeared as Kaecilius in Doctor Strange and as Jyn Erso’s father, Galen, in Rogue One.
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After appearing in the first two Fantastic Beasts movies, Depp was asked to step down from the next film after he lost his libel suit against British tabloid The Sun, which described Depp as a “wife beater” in reference to long-running allegations of domestic abuse made by his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Fantastic Beasts 3 finally began filming in London back in September.
News of Mikkelsen’s potential involvement comes one day after WB confirmed that Fantastic Beasts 3 will no longer make its original November 12, 2021 release date. Instead, the film will now hit theaters on July 15, 2022.
How do you feel about Mads Mikkelsen taking over as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3? Tell us what you think in the comment section below!
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