New ‘Fantastic Beasts’ trailer sees first look at Mads Mikkelsen’s Grindelwald
Mikkelsen has replaced Johnny Depp in the role, after Depp was asked to resign by Warner Brothers
A new trailer for the forthcoming third entry in the ‘Fantastic Beasts’ film series has been shared, featuring the first look at Mads Mikkelsen as Gellert Grindelwald.
Mikkelsen took over the role from Johnny Depp, after Depp said that he would no longer play the character after production house Warner Brothers asked him to resign his role. This came after he lost a libel case relating to abuse allegations by his former wife Amber Heard. Depp reportedly left after filming just one scene.
In a new trailer, Mikkelsen’s Grindelwald can be seen briefly casing a spell in once scene, and declaring war on muggles in another.
The film also sees Eddie Redmayne star once again as Newt Scamander, with Jude Law playing a younger version of the future Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore. Ezra Miller, Katherine Waterston and Dan Fogler will also return, as will director David Yates.
Speaking to EW last year, Mikkelsen said of his take on the role: “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.”
In a subsequent interview with The Times, Mikkelsen addressed the circumstances preceding his taking over the role: “Obviously, they were going to do the film, and obviously he was not involved any more.
“But I didn’t have a dog in that fight. And I don’t know what happened [in his private life] and I don’t know if it was fair, him losing the job, but I just knew that the show was going on, and I would have loved to have talked to him about it if I had the chance, but I just don’t know him in that sense.
“But they called me and they were obviously in a hurry, and I loved the script and so said yes,” he continued. “And I know it was controversial for many people, but that’s just the way it plays out once in a while.”