Johnny Depp’s recent departure from the Fantastic Beasts franchise has left a bit of a vacancy to fill in the Wizarding World. Considering the character who lent their name to the most recent entry is now out of the picture, the currently in production follow up to Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald kind of needs to find a replacement-- and fast. If reports are to be believed, a prime candidate is in talks at this moment, as Hannibal star Mads Mikkelson is being heavily courted for the role. And now, some fan art has emerged, which gives us a look at how he might look as J.K. Rowling’s menacing villain. See for yourself below:
As if the internet didn’t need another reason to go wild for the fact that Mads Mikkelson could find himself becoming the new face of Grindelwald, this fan art by ApexForm now gives an added texture to this possibility. Giving Mikkelson the trademark haircut and white hair that we saw Johnny Depp’s villain rock in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, it’s a quick but impressive look at what the future could hold. And, of course, giving Mads Mikkelson the heterochromatic eyes that complete the look only bring back some of the best memories.
Making quite the splash for his professional career as Bond villain Le Chiffre in the Daniel Craig starring James Bond reboot Casino Royale, Mikkelson was already used to playing a villain with a unique look. With a cloudy eye that wept blood from time to time, and a quiet but intense streak that only broke in the most desperate of times, Mads Mikkelson helped make 007 history by bringing to life one of the most evil figures in Ian Fleming’s canon of maniacs. So of course, the potential for this actor to land yet another iconic baddie on his resume is a deliciously fitting prospect.
At this point, all we can do is bring ourselves back down to Earth, and remind ourselves that while Mads Mikkelson sounds like an awesome new actor to play the role of Grindelwald, this is all still up in the air. Fantastic Beasts 3 still needs to find a definitive antagonist, and for all we know, the supposed talks around this scenario are either non-existent, or may not turn out as rosily as some might hope. However, that won’t stop the world from dreaming of the day that this news could turn into a reality, giving us another reason to fear and favor Mr. Mikkelson’s evil charm.
Fantastic Beasts 3 is currently eyeing a July 15, 2022 debut, so there’s plenty of time to get the tailors hard at work and the makeup artists adjusting their plans, should Mads Mikkelson be confirmed to nab the gig. In the meantime, you can binge to your heart’s content on all of the Hannibal action you could want, as all three seasons are on Netflix at this moment. Bon appetit, dear readers.
