Mads Mikkelsen Breaks The Silence On Replacing Johnny Depp, Says It’s Sad Circumstances

Fans and supporters of Johnny Depp have been furious over the controversial decision to drop him from the role of Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3. And they’ve certainly let their feelings on the matter be known.

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the last few weeks, after losing his libel case against a British tabloid, the actor stepped down from playing the Dark Wizard in the spinoff Harry Potter series. Obviously, with the film already in production, Warner Bros. were clearly eager to move on quickly and it didn’t take long before they drafted in Hannibal and Casino Royale actor Mads Mikkelsen to replace Johnny in the role.

It’ll no doubt be a while yet before we get an official look at him as the new Grindelwald, but while speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the actor opened up on the project, explaining how his take on the character will differ from what came before, while also noting that these are “sad circumstances.”

“Well it’s going to be me, so that’s a difference,” Mikkelsen quipped, then he got serious. “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.”

“Job wise, it’s obviously super interesting and nice,” he said. “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.”

Of course, Mikkelsen has to be careful with what he says given the sensitive subject and his reply doesn’t reveal a whole lot about what to expect now that he’s on board. Still, he’s a tremendously talented actor and though many people will struggle to accept anyone other than Johnny Depp as Grindelwald, the Hannibal star is certainly a solid replacement. In fact, a deepfake created earlier this week even gave us a pretty good idea of what might be in store for us.

Tell us, though, are you excited to see what Mads Mikkelsen will bring to the table in Fantastic Beast 3? Let us know in the usual place down below.