Fantastic Beasts 3 teaser trailer conjures Mads Mikkelsen’s Grindelwald

Ahead of Monday’s full trailer reveal, Warner Bros. has conjured a Fantastic Beasts 3 teaser trailer that celebrates the Harry Potter fandom and promises big things for the future of the franchise. In addition to taking a wistful look back at how the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has entertained one generation after the next, the teaser also offers us our first glimpse of Mads Mikkelsen’s Grindelwald. Mind you, his character is only on screen for about half a second, so you’ll need to keep your eyes peeled.

It was announced in late 2020 that Johnny Depp would not be reprising his role as Gellert Grindelwald for Fantastic Beasts 3, better known as Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. “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. Although 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.

While the Fantastic Beasts 3 teaser trailer does provide fans with a quick look at Mikkelsen’s Grindelwald, it doesn’t give us much insight into how he’ll portray the character. In the footage, he’s wearing Grindelwald’s signature suit, but the frosted spikes that gave him such a chilling look are long gone. Instead, we get Mikkelsen’s matted gray mop, all slicked to the side and looking as anime as ever. I think it’s a good sign that Mikkelsen is looking to make the character his own as opposed to replicating Depp’s retconned approach.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore stars Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander, Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore, Mads Mikkelsen as Gellert Grindelwald, Katherine Waterston as Tina Goldstein, Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone, Alison Sudol as Queenie Goldstein, Callum Turner as Theseus Scamander, Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski, Jessica Williams as Eulalie Hicks, and Poppy Corby-Tuech as Rosier, among others. The film is directed by Harry Potter alum David Yates with Steve Kloves penning the script based on a screenplay by J.K. Rowling.

We expect to learn more about the plot of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore when the full trailer drops on Monday, December 13. Be sure to check back with us then to find out what this enchanting-looking sequel is all about.