Warner Bros. officially announced Wednesday that Mads Mikkelsen has been cast as Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3.Mikkelsen replaces Johnny Depp, who resigned from the role earlier this month (see the details below).
Mikkelsen (Rogue One, Hannibal, Doctor Strange) joins a cast that includes Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Callum Turner, William Nadylam, Poppy Corby-Tuech, Jessica Williams, Victoria Yeates, and Jude Law.
Directed by David Yates, Fantastic Beasts 3 opens July 15, 2022.
UPDATE: IGN spoke to actor Mads Mikkelsen on Monday to promote our exclusive Chaos Walking trailer debut — which you can see on IGN tomorrow, Thursday, November 19 at 6am PT/9am ET — during which time we asked the Rogue One and Hannibal star about the news that he's poised to replace Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise.
Depp resigned from the role earlier this month (see the original report below), with the trades pegging Mikkelsen as director David Yates' top choice to replace him in the role of the sinister wizard. Except Mikkelsen says it's all just a "rumor" … for now.
"Oh, that is on the rumor basis as we speak," Mikkelsen told IGN over the phone. "So I know as much as you do from the newspapers. So I'm waiting for that phone call."
Maybe Mikkelsen is simply playing coy until the deal is sealed or perhaps word of the studio's desire to cast him leaked before they were ready to make him an offer. In any event, as soon as Depp's replacement is official then we'll let you know!
Shortly after being asked to resign from the upcoming Fantastic Beasts 3, Johnny Depp's replacement may already have been found. Mads Mikkelsen is allegedly in early talks to play Grindlewald in the upcoming sequel.
According to a report by Deadline Mikkelsen is apparently director David Yates' top choice to replace Johnny Depp, who was let go from the project recently due to ongoing abuse allegations.
Although Depp only filmed one scene for the film so far, he will still retain his multi-million dollar salary due to the type of contract he originally signed which guaranteed his pay even if his role was recast.Actors Who Were Replaced During ProductionMikkelsen is known for portraying Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the TV series Hannibal and Galen Erso in Rogue One. The Danish actor also played a pivotal role as Clifford Unger in Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding, contributing both motion capture and vocals for the performance.
Filming for Fantastic Beasts 3 was stopped earlier this year due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and with Depp's departure, WB confirmed Fantastic Beasts 3 would be released in summer 2022 instead of its past November 2021 release date.It was previously announced that Fantastic Beasts is also now going to be a 5-part series of films after it was extended from its original three-film run.
For more, check out some other actors who were replaced during movie production and what director Yates has said about the film's upcoming battles.
Editor's Note: This story previously incorrectly stated that Fantastic Beasts 3's release date had not shifted. The article has been updated to reflect the accurate change to its release.
Matthew Adler is a Features, News, Previews, Reviews, and Wikis writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @MatthewAdler and watch him stream on Twitch.