As reported by Variety, Mads Mikkelsen is in early talks to replace Johnny Depp in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts 3 movie, taking over the role of Gellert Grindelwald.
The Danish actor, whose other acting credits include Hannibal and Doctor Strange, will potentially be portraying the dark wizard following Depp's exit.
While Depp played the character in the first two installments of the Harry Potter spin-off, the actor confirmed on Friday, November 6 that Warner Bros. had asked him to "resign" from the role.
Check out the trailer for the first installment in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them:
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The decision came after the Pirates Of The Caribbean actor lost a libel trial against the UK's The Sun newspaper, which referred to the actor as a "wife-beater" in an article from 2018, per CNN.
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According to CNN, the headline of the article was: "GONE POTTY: How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy' casting wife-beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?"
In an Instagram post on November 6, Depp said he would like to thank everybody "who has gifted me with their support and loyalty."
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He added: "I have been humbled and moved by your many messages of love and concern, particularly over the last few days.
"Secondly, 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 that and agreed to that request."
He added: "Finally I wish to say this.
"The surreal judgment of the court in the UK will not change my fight to tell the truth and I confirm that I plan to appeal.
"My resolve remains strong and I intend to prove that the allegations against me are false. My life and career will not be defined by this moment in time.
"Thank you for reading."
Per Variety, the third movie in the Fantastic Beasts franchise is currently in production in the UK. A source "familiar" with the project revealed that Depp had filmed only one scene in the film before his recent exit.
If Mikkelsen does indeed become Depp's replacement, he will be joining the likes of Jude Law, Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, and Ezra Miller.
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David Yates is all set to direct the movie, which is based on a screenplay written by JK Rowling and Steve Kloves.
Rowling, Kloves, David Heyman, and Lionel Wigram are producing.
According to Deadline, Fantastic Beasts 3 is now set to be released in movie theaters on July 15, 2022. The film's previous release date was November 12, 2021.