Mads Mikkelsen reacts to rumour he’s replacing Johnny Depp in Fantastic Beasts 3

Mads Mikkelsen has heard the reports that he’s set to replace Johnny Depp in Fantastic Beasts 3 – but the Hannibal actor is playing coy. 

Reports recently emerged that Mikkelsen is director David Yates' pick to fill the role of villain Grindelwald in the Harry Potter prequel series after Depp was asked to resign by Warner Bros earlier this month. 

"Oh, that is on the rumour basis as we speak," Mikkelsen told IGN during an interview about his upcoming sci-fi movie Chaos Walking. "So I know as much as you do from the newspapers. So I'm waiting for that phone call."

The announcement of Depp’s resignation came after the actor lost a court battle against a UK newspaper. In a statement, he said: "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." 

While Mikkelsen’s casting is still up in the air, we do know that Colin Farrell won’t be stepping into the role. Farrell played the wizard in disguise for much of the first Fantastic Beasts movie, before his true identity was revealed, but it seems likely he won’t be returning to the franchise due to ongoing The Batman commitments. Farrell will play Oswald ‘Penguin’ Cobblepot in the upcoming superhero flick, and the two blockbusters have clashing filming schedules.

Originally due for release in November 2021, Depp’s departure has pushed the release date of Fantastic Beasts 3 back to July 2022. While we wait, you can check out the best Netflix movies to watch right now.