Mads Mikkelsen has revealed that he thinks Johnny Depp could return to the role of Grindelwald for a future Fantastic Beasts film.
The actor recently spoke with Deadline at the Sarajevo Film Festival and admitted that "It was very intimidating" to take on the role of Grindelwald from Depp, who departed the role after he was accused of sexual assault by his ex-wife Amber Heard. "Obviously, well, now the course has changed—he won the suit, the court [case]—so let’s see if he comes back. He might," hinted Mikkelsen, who starred as Grindelwald in 2022's Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. Depp first appeared in a small cameo as the character in 2016's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them before starring in 2018's Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
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Mikkelsen also touched on how his portrayal of Grindelwald differed from what Depp has previously brought to the role. "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," the actor said. "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." Despite The Secrets of Dumbledore receiving mostly negative reviews from critics and audiences, Mikkelsen's performance as Grindelwald was praised and considered one of the film's few highlights.
Depp is currently shooting Jeanne du Barry in France. The upcoming historical film marks the actor's first major film production since his $50 million defamation suit against Heard concluded in June. He will play King Louis XV in the production. The first look at Depp in Jeanne du Barry was released in August.
