Update: Warner Bros confirmed that Mads Mikkelsen will play Grindelwald on Wednesday 25th November 2020.
Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen is in advanced talks to succeed Johnny Depp as the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in the next installment of the Fantastic Beasts franchise. Grindelwald is the principal antagonist of the Harry Potter spin-off series and previously made a brief appearance in Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1.
Mikkelsen recently earned wide acclaim for his leading role in the Danish drama Another Round.
This casting development follows Johnny Depp’s departure from the series. Depp announced last Friday via an Instagram post that studio Warner Bros. had asked him to step down from the role. Depp, best known for characters such as Sweeney Todd and Captain Jack Sparrow, had recently lost a high-profile libel case in the United Kingdom related to allegations involving his ex-wife Amber Heard. The legal dispute and its coverage appear to have factored into the studio’s decision-making.
According to industry reports, director David Yates has identified Mads Mikkelsen as his top choice for Grindelwald. Mikkelsen brings a long and varied resume to the part: he has appeared in major studio features such as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Doctor Strange, and he is well regarded for intense, layered performances in films like The Hunt and A Royal Affair. Most recently, he starred in the award-winning Danish film Another Round, which received acclaim on the festival circuit.
Mikkelsen is also known to international audiences for his portrayal of Le Chiffre in Casino Royale and for the titular role in NBC’s psychological crime series Hannibal. He continues to be active in both mainstream and independent projects and is attached to upcoming films such as the science-fiction feature Chaos Walking.
Casting a different actor as Grindelwald marks a significant shift for the Fantastic Beasts series, which has been navigating both creative and public-relations challenges. Recasting a major antagonist mid-franchise is uncommon but not unprecedented; studios sometimes opt for a new face when circumstances make continuing with an original actor impractical. Mikkelsen’s track record of playing complex villains and morally ambiguous figures has led many commentators to see him as a natural fit for Grindelwald’s blend of charisma, menace, and ideological conviction.
Production timelines for the franchise have also changed. Fantastic Beasts 3 was originally scheduled for release on 12 November 2021 but has since been pushed back to 5 July 2022. The delay gives the filmmakers additional time to finalize casting and to adjust the production schedule amid the broader disruptions facing the film industry.
If the deal is finalized, Mads Mikkelsen will inherit a role that sits at the center of the saga’s larger conflict and will be expected to bring a fresh interpretation while honoring the character’s established history. Director David Yates and the creative team will now work to integrate any cast changes into the ongoing narrative and production plans.
Fans and industry observers will be watching closely for an official announcement from Warner Bros and for further details about how this casting decision will shape the next chapter of the Fantastic Beasts story.