Who Plays Grindelwald In Fantastic Beasts 3

Gellert Grindelwald will be played by a new actor when he returns in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. For the wizard, Fantastic Beasts 3 will be his third appearance in the Harry Potter universe. Due to his villainous past and his complicated relationship with Dumbledore, Grindelwald is one of the most important figures in Harry Potter’s world.

As a character who factors heavily into the history of both Dumbledore and the Wizarding World in general, Grindelwald has been integral to the Fantastic Beasts movies. Played by Johnny Depp, the character took center stage in Fantastic Beats: The Crimes of Grindelwald as the main antagonist. However, the movie hardly resolved the conflict between the main characters and the villain. Instead, it set up a continuation of their struggles in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, though it won’t be happening with Depp. As a result of the controversy regarding Depp and Amber Heard, Depp agreed to a request from Warner Bros. to give up the Grindelwald role in the upcoming movie.

Mads Mikkelsen has been recast as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3. Mikkelsen has been considered a fitting choice for the character, especially in light of his previous performances. Fantastic Beasts 3’s Grindelwald actor is no stranger to playing villains on both the big and small screen. In the early 2010s, he played the iconic, cannibalistic serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter in NBC’s Hannibal show. He also served as the first major antagonist for Daniel Craig’s James Bond when he made his debut as 007 in 2006’s Casino Royale. Among his other credits are The Hunt, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Clash of the Titans, and most recently, Chaos Walking, where he was once again utilized as the villain.

Additionally, the Grindelwald actor played Doctor Strange’s Kaecilius, an evil member of the Masters of the Mystic Arts and the principal opponent of the movie’s titular hero. The 2016 movie was the actor’s first and only MCU appearance. Playing Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3 will be a return to a magical setting and yet another villainous role for Mikkelsen. Trailers and marketing for the third installment in the franchise have provided previews of Mikkelsen’s Grindelwald and what he’ll bring to the table as the all-powerful wizard.

In addition to what the trailers have already implied, Fantastic Beasts 3’s Grindelwald actor has made it clear that his interpretation of the villain won’t necessarily be a repeat of Depp’s portrayal. Mikkelsen claims that while he wants to find a “bridge” between the two versions, he’ll be developing his own, unique take on Grindelwald. That fits with the decision to give the wizard a drastically different look for Fantastic Beasts: Secrets of Dumbledore, which is expected to capture the more sinister elements of the character.