Danish star Mads Mikkelsen will play the Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3, Warner Bros confirmed on Wednesday. He will replace Johnny Depp in the upcoming installment of the Fantastic Beasts franchise (2016). Pirates of the Caribbean actor Depp played the role of Grindelwald in the first two films of the series, but he had to make an exit after losing a major libel suit against a newspaper in the UK that referred to him as a "wife beater" in a headline. Ruling on the lawsuit, a High Court judge said the article in The Sun was “substantially true.”
According to a report by Deadline, Mikkelsen was a quick pick for the role as Warner Bros Studios's third film in the series is already in production in the UK. Depp reportedly had only shot a single scene for the film, which is set to hit theatres on July 15, 2022. As per the EW, Depp's resignation from the film came after the actor lost the suit that alleged he was abusive towards his ex-wife, Aquaman actress Amber Heard. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actor reportedly got paid his eight-figure salary as part of his "pay or play" deal with the studio.
We're just a member of the team: Jude Law
Last week, after the judge sided with the newspaper, Depp revealed in an Instagram post that he would no longer be associated with the Warner Bros’ franchise, a spin-off based on JK Rowling’s Harry Potter universe.
"It's an enormous film, and there are many, many layers to it. It's probably one of the biggest productions I've ever worked on," Depp's co-star in the series, Jude Law told Entertainment Tonight, adding "And in a situation like this, you defer to the studio. That's all you can do. Because you have to turn up and play your part."
"In a franchise like this, it's the studio and the company that make the big decisions. And you have to go along with those, because we're just a member of the team," said Law.
Also Read: Margot Robbie To Lead The New Pirates Of The Caribbean Film
Who is Mads Mikkelsen
Actor Mads Mikkelsen is known for playing the role of serial killer Dr Hannibal Lecter in the NBC series Hannibal. Last week when he was asked about joining the franchise, he denied saying, "Oh, that is on the rumor basis as we speak... So I know as much as you do from the newspapers. So I'm waiting for that phone call."
Mikkelsen was also seen in Casino Royale and Marvel's Doctor Strange. He recently wrapped up the Doug Liman-directed Chaos Walking.
Meanwhile, a judge on Thursday also has refused Depp permission to appeal against a British court’s ruling that found him guilty of assaulting Heard. Depp is also suing Heard for $50 million in Virginia over a Washington Post op-ed essay that she wrote about domestic violence. In the article, without naming Depp, she opened up and revealed that she was abused. The trial is due to be held next year.
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