After news broke that Johnny Depp would be exiting the Fantastic Beasts franchise, rumours hit the internet that Hannibal star Mads Mikkelsen would be replacing him as Gellert Grindelwald in the as yet untitled Fantastic Beasts 3 movie. Mikkelsen was eventually confirmed to be replacing Depp, and has now commented on the casting change, and what differences we can expect between both versions of the character.
Speaking to EW, Mikkelsen said: "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 Depp’s version] and some bridges so it doesn't completely detach from what he's already masterfully achieved."
He went on to say that, “job wise, it's obviously super interesting and nice.”
Mikkelsen has also recently spoken about his hopes for a Hannibal season 4 that adapts The Silence of the Lambs' storyline, though there aren’t any solid plans for a further instalment of the TV series at the moment.
Fantastic Beasts 3 is set to be released July 14 2022. It will see Eddie Redmayne reprise his role of Newt Scamander, with Jude Law back as a younger version of Albus Dumbledore. Katherine Waterston is also back as Tina Goldstein, as is Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski and Alison Sudol as Queenie Goldstein. Callum Turner will return as Theseus Scamander, as well as Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone (or Aurelius Dumbledore).
While you wait for the threequel to hit the big screen, check out our ranking of the best Harry Potter movies.
