Mikkelson On Taking Grindelwald Role In Fantastic Beasts

While Mads Mikkelson’s possible casting as the dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3 had been rumored since Johnny Depp left the role, due to a host of personal and legal battles with his ex-wife Amber Heard, it was only recently officially confirmed. Many fans, though, are still frustrated with the last-minute switch. But regardless of the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the change, the Danish actor is an exciting addition to the project.

Moreover, Mikkelson was on the short-list for many when news of the first Fantastic Beasts film was announced. He is an acclaimed actor, known for his nuanced, and even sympathetic, portrayals of villains, most notably, Hannibal Lecter on NBC’s Hannibal. Now that he has the chance to take on the antagonist of the Harry Potter prequels, no one is more enthusiastic than the man himself.

Mikkelson, recently sat down for an interview with EW, and when he was asked about taking the part, he jokingly said that, “Well it’s going to be me, so that’s a difference.” He quickly elaborated, though, stating:

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.

It’s nice to hear that Mikkelson wants to honor what was already put in motion. It appears that the goal will be to move the character forward in an interesting and logical way, not to necessarily erase Johnny Depp’s influence. After all, there is already a history of Grindelwald changing his appearance, as was seen in the first film, when Colin Farrell’s Percival Graves turned out to be Grindelwald in disquise.

Whatever the case, it’s clear that everyone involved wants to make the transition a smooth one. Here’s hoping that everything goes well and Mikkelson can find the bridge between the two iterations of the character. Production on Fantastic Beasts 3 is in progress now, with the film targeting a July 14th, 2022 release.