“And I know that was controversial for a lot of people, but that’s how it goes every now and then,” Mads Mikkelsen said recently of him playing Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3.
Mads Mikkelsen. Image by Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons
Mads Mikkelsen, who rose to fame after playing Tonny in the first two films of the Pusher trilogy, will be seen as Gellert Grindelwald in the third installment of Fantastic beasts.
Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Jude Law, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol and Ezra Miller will reprise their roles from the last two films.
David Yates is directing the untitled third part of a script by JK Rowling and Steve Kloves. Rowling, Kloves, David Heyman and Lionel Wigram are producing.
Johnny Depp’s exit from Fantastic beasts
In November 2020, Depp revealed he would no longer play Grindelwald in the film series after losing his libel case over allegations of abuse by his ex-wife, actor Amber Heard against a UK newspaper.
He shared a statement on Instagram saying that Warner Bros., the production house funding the film, asked him to resign in light of the court verdict. Depp then asserted his innocence and said he planned to appeal.
Here is the statement
(Also read on Firstpost – Johnny Depp denies domestic violence allegations against Amber Heard; a timeline of their legal battle)
This development was also confirmed by Warner Bros. in a statement: “Johnny Depp will be leaving the Fantastic beasts franchise. We thank Johnny for his work on the films to date.
Depp was reportedly asked to leave after filming on the film one day – he got paid for the whole movie but had a five-picture contract – and Warner Bros. was on guard trying to book a new actor. According to Hollywood journalist, he’d only filmed one scene before he was fired from the project, so Mikkelsen wouldn’t need to do a lot of footage.
Fans on social media had requested that Depp be reinstated in the film. Recently many have taken to social media again and tend to use the hashtag #JusticeforJohnny. They also objected to keeping Heard in his Aquaman 2 role, the shooting of which has started.
The Cast of Mads Mikkelsen
After Depp’s sacking, there were rumors that Mikkelsen would be roped up to play Grindelwald. Deadline reported that the Danish actor, known for playing Hannibal Lector, was Yates’ first choice to play the dark wizard.
Mikkelsen denied this information and claimed to be aware of developments only through newspapers. “Oh, it’s based on rumors as we speak. So I know as much as you do from the papers. So I’m waiting for that phone call,” the actor said according to screen delirium.
In November 2020, Warner Bros. confirmed that Mikkelsen was joining the cast of Fantastic Beasts 3.
The actor explained how his take on the villainous role would differ from Depp’s interpretation in an interview with GE in December of last year. “No, that’s the trickier part. We’re still working on it. There has to be a bridge between what Johnny has done and what I’m going to do. And at the same time, I also have to make it my own. also need to find some links [to the previous version of the character] and a few bridges so that he does not completely detach himself from what he has already masterfully achieved, ”he said.
He added that seizing the opportunity was a “shock”, especially after the events leading up to it. He also wished Depp and Heard the best, and hoped they would be “back in the saddle”.
In a recent interview with The temperatureHe said as he wasn’t sure Depp losing the role was fair, but the producers knew the show had to go on. Mikkelsen, he wished he could talk to Johnny Depp before winking at the third installment of the Harry Potter spinoff franchise. “And I know it was controversial for a lot of people, but that’s how it goes from time to time,” he explained.
(With contributions from Press Trust of India)