Mads Mikkelsen Discusses Taking Over the Role of Gellert Grindelwald in the FANTASTIC BEASTS Franchise
It’s been a bit of a roller coaster lately for fans of the Fantastic Beasts film franchise. WB famously released Johnny Depp from his contract to play the character Gellert Grindelwald in the films after the actor lost his libel lawsuit against a U.K. publication that alleged he was abusive towards his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard. Once that was finalized, news broke that the film series director David Yates had picked Mads Mikkelsen as his choice for the replacement.
Mikkelsen quickly spoke out, saying that the casting news was just a rumor, and that he had not yet received the call with the job offer. But within days, Warner Bros. made it official, and the actor was set to play the part. Mikkelsen has now spoken out about taking the role, and how he plans to move forward with it. In an interview with EW, discussing the actor’s new film Another Round, Mikkelsen was asked how his take on the villainous character would differ from Depp’s. He humorously answered:
"Well it's going to be me, so that's a difference. No, this is the tricky part. We're still working it out. There has to be a bridge between what Johnny did and what I'm going to do. And at the same time, I also have to make it my own. But also we have to find a few links [to the previous version of the character] and some bridges so it doesn't completely detach from what he's already masterfully achieved."
When asked about how he felt receiving the role under the unusual circumstances, he said:
"Job wise, it's obviously super interesting and nice. It's also a shocker that it came after what happened, which is just super sad. I wish both of them the best. These are sad circumstances. I hope both of them will be back in the saddle again really soon."
He seems like a really kind and diplomatic guy. I think he is a great actor, and I think he will do great in the role. Fantastic Beasts 3 is currently in production and will be released on July 14th, 2022. You can see Mikkelsen next in his film Another Round in limited theaters Friday and on demand on December 18th.