It was revealed earlier this month that Warner Bros. had asked Johnny Depp to resign as Gellert Grindelwald in FANTASTIC BEASTS 3. "I wish to let you know that I have been asked to resign by Warner Bros. from my role as Grindelwald in ‘Fantastic Beasts’ and I have respected and agreed to that request," wrote Depp in an Instagram post. Warner Bros. thanked the actor for his work on the films to date, and as production on the sequel was already underway, it was soon announced that Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal) was in early talks to take on the role.
Well, Warner Bros. have now confirmed that Mads Mikkelsen has officially stepped into the role of Gellert Grindelwald, so we'll be seeing him as the Dark Wizard alongside Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Katherine Waterson, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, and Ezra Miller. Although Johnny Depp has been forced out of the FANTASTIC BEASTS franchise, he will still be receiving his full salary, said to be somewhere in the realm of eight-figures, due to his pay-or-play contract, which means that he's required to be fully compensated whether or not the film is made or even if his role is recast. Mikkelsen has certainly played his share of nefarious characters over the years, and I'm excited to see what he'll bring to the HARRY POTTER franchise.
FANTASTIC BEASTS 3 was initially slated to hit theaters on November 12, 2021, but Warner Bros. have since shifted the film to July 15, 2022.
