It was revealed last month that Warner Bros. had asked Johnny Depp to resign as Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3. 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 and the studio later confirmed that the actor would indeed be our new Gellert Grindelwald.
While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Mads Mikkelsen commented on how his interpretation of Grindelwald might differ from Depp's.
Well it's going to be me, so that's a difference. 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.
As far as replacing Johnny Depp, Mads Mikkelsen said, "It's also a shocker that it came after what happened, which is just super sad. I wish both of them the best. These are sad circumstances. I hope both of them will be back in the saddle again really soon." The third installment of the Fantastic Beasts franchise is said to take place, at least partly, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and will set the stage for the Wizarding World's involvement in the second World War. In addition to Mads Mikkelsen, Fantastic Beasts 3 will also star Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Katherine Waterson, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, and Ezra Miller. The film initially slated to hit theaters on November 12, 2021, but Warner Bros. have since shifted it to July 15, 2022.