Mads Mikkelsen To Play Grindelwald In ‘Fantastic Beasts’ After Johnny Depp’s Firing

Mads Mikkelsen will be playing Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3, replacing Johnny Depp after he was asked to resign from the series.

Mikkelson, the former Hannibal fame, is reportedly director David Yates‘ first choice after Depp and Colin Farrell, who played Grindelwald in the first film. Though Farrell was considered to reprise his Fantastic Beasts role, in which he plays a much younger Grindelwald, the commitment would conflict with his role as Penguin in the upcoming Batman film.

The projected release date of Fantastic Beasts 3, because of shooting interruptions related to the pandemic and Depp’s resigning, has been pushed from November 2020 to July 2022.