Mads Mikkelsen: Johnny Depp ‘Might’ Return to Fantastic Beasts Franchise

August 17, 2022

Following Johnny Depp’s withdrawal from the Fantastic Beasts franchise, actor Mads Mikkelsen stepped into the role of Gellert Grindelwald for the most recent film. However, according to Mikkelsen, there is a chance Depp could return.

During a “Coffee with…” event at the Sarajevo Film Festival following his reception of the Honorary Heart of Sarajevo Award for his outstanding contribution to the art of film, Mikkelsen was asked about his turn in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, which saw Mikkelsen take over as Gellert Grindelwald, the actor talked about stepping into a role that was already inhabited by a large actor, as well as teasing that Depp could potentially return to the series.

“It was very intimidating,” said Mikkelsen (via Deadline). “Obviously, well, now the course has changed — he won the suit, the court [case] — so let’s see if he comes back. He might. I’m a big fan of Johnny. I think he’s an amazing actor. I think he did a fantastic job. Having said that, I could not copy it. There’s there was no way I could just copy it, because it’s so much him. It would be creative suicide.

“So, we had to come up with something else, something that was mine, and build a bridge between him and me. So, yes, it was intimidating. His fans were very, very sweet, but they were also very stubborn. I didn’t interact too much with them, but I could understand why they had their hearts broken.”

Of course, it’s unknown exactly what the future holds for the entirety of the Fantastic Beasts. Prior to Secrets of Dumbledore‘s release, a report from Variety seemed to suggest that Warner Bros. wasn’t planning on giving the okay to any future films until they saw the returns from the third entry. With new ownership now in place at Warner Bros. Discovery, it’s even more unclear if a fourth film will release, as well as who may or may not be returning.