Earlier this month, it was reported that Warner Bros. was eyeing Mads Mikkelsen to play Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3 and step into the role previously played by Johnny Depp in the first two installments. Mikkelsen himself cast doubt on these claims last week, insisting that WB still hadn’t reached out to him. But thankfully, it sounds like the actor finally inked a deal with the studio. The Wrap brings word that Mikkelsen has officially been cast as the dark wizard in the upcoming sequel.
Fantastic Beasts 3 began filming at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the U.K. back in September. According to The Wrap’s sources, “no scenes need to be reshot” for the sequel. However, earlier reports suggested that Depp managed to film one scene as Grindelwald prior to his departure. Mikkelsen joins a cast that includes Fantastic Beast mainstays like Eddie Redmayne, Dan Fogler, Jude Law, and Ezra Miller. David Yates is also returning to the director’s chair.
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Mikkelsen’s casting comes nearly two weeks after Warner Bros. asked Depp to leave the movie. The studio made this decision after Depp lost a libel lawsuit against a British tabloid that called him a “wife-beater” in reference to allegations of domestic abuse made by his ex-wife, Amber Heard. Thanks to his pay-or-play contract, Depp will still receive his full eight-figure salary for the film. Shortly after his dismissal, WB moved Fantastic Beasts 3’s release date from fall 2021 to the following summer.
Fantastic Beasts 3 will hit theaters on July 15, 2022.
Are you happy to hear that Mikkelsen is officially playing Grindelwald in the film? Tell us what you think in the comment section below!
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