Mads Mikkelsen Confirmed to Replace Johnny Depp in Fantastic Beasts 3

It’s official: Mads Mikkelsen is the new Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3 following Johnny Depp’s exit from the franchise. Warner Bros. has confirmed (per Deadline) that the Hannibal and Rogue One star will be playing the role of Gellert Grindelwald in the third entry of the Harry Potter spinoff.

Depp played the role of the villain in the first two Fantastic Beasts films, but exited the franchise after he lost a big libel lawsuit in the UK over a 2018 article in which The Sun referred to him as a “wifebeater.” Depp chose to sue The Sun but it backfired, with the judge in the case dismissing the lawsuit and ruling that 12 of 14 claims of domestic abuse against Depp were “substantially true.”

It had been reported earlier this month that Mikkelsen was in talks to replace Depp for Fantastic Beasts 3, and while Mikkelsen initially threw cold water on the report, it has turned out to be true. The film is currently shooting outside of London and is set to release on July 15th, 2022.