‘Hannibal’ star Mads Mikkelsen is set to replace Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3.
Last week, Johnny Depp revealed that he will no longer play Grindelwald in the Warner Bros’ franchise after he lost his libel case relating to abuse allegations by former wife, actor Amber Heard.
Depp had shot just one scene as Grindelwald before leaving the film, so Mads Mikkelsen would not need to replicate much footage.
Furthermore, Mikkelsen, popularly known for playing memorable antagonists like Le Chiffre, a banker to terrorist organizations in Casino Royale, supervillain Kaecilius opposite Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange and the cannibalistic serial killer Dr Hannibal Lecter in the NBC series Hannibal.
The actor will join franchise stars Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Jude Law, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol and Ezra Miller once the deal finalizes.
Earlier in 2016, Depp first played Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
He reprised the part in 2018’s Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald and set to start shooting for the third part next year. Fantastic Beasts 3 will hit the screens on July 15, 2022.