Fantastic Beasts 3: Mads Mikkelsen Calls Trying to Copy Johnny Depp's Grindelwald "Creatively Stupid"

Following news of Mad Mikkelsen taking over the role of Gellert Grindelwald in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts sequel after Johnny Depp's departure, fans have wondered how the newcomer will interpret the villain, with the actor himself confirming how "creatively stupid" it would be to attempt to replicate what Depp has conveyed in the previous two films. Luckily, the mystical and magical nature of the series means it will be easier for viewers to accept not only a new look for the character, but also an entirely new approach to the villain. Fantastic Beasts 3 is currently set to hit theaters on July 15, 2022.

"Nobody's interested in me going in there and trying to copy anything, that would be creative suicide immediately, especially when it's been done before and masterfully," Mikkelsen shared with Collider. "So everybody's expecting us to find a different path. Having said that, we need a bridge between what he did and what I'm gonna do, so those bridges you have to find together, whether it's a certain look, whether it's a certain attitude in certain situations, but you have to make it your own. Anything else would be plainly just creatively stupid."

Mikkelsen was most recently seen in the Oscar-winning Another Round, an intimate and life-affirming journey about a newfound appreciation of one's life, with the actor noting how part of his interest in the Fantastic Beasts role is just how massive and spectacular the adventure is compared to the films in which he normally appears.

"I'm a big fan of the Potter universe, and it's a kind of genre that you don't touch upon in my part of the world. You can't get away with that budget-wise in Denmark, so obviously when it came my way it was a fantastic opportunity," Mikkelsen admitted of his interest.

The actor isn't entirely new to the world of blockbusters, as he previously starred in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Another exciting project on Mikkelsen's horizon is Indiana Jones 5, with the actor also sharing with Collider just how excited he was by the sequel's script.

"I'm very, very excited about it… I rewatched Raiders of the Lost Ark the other day, it is so well-done and so charming, and it's such great storytelling," the actore detailed. "So yes it's a great honor to be part of that franchise that I grew up with… I'm in a lucky position where they let me read the script before. And yes, it was everything I wished it to be, so that was just great."

Stay tuned for details on Fantastic Beasts 3, which is currently set to hit theaters on July 15, 2022.

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