'Fantastic Beasts' to get Mads Mikkelsen as replacement for Johnny Depp?

Johnny Depp will not be playing his part in the Fantastic Beasts franchise as we informed you earlier and we do have news who might be taking up the role. 

It is said that Warner Bros. is in early talks with Mads Mikkelsen to replace Johnny Depp in the Fantastic Beasts franchise. 

The movie will be directed by David Yates and is currently in production.

It stars Jude Law and Eddie Redmayne as Albus Dumbledore and Newt Scamander. Johnny Depp had in earlier films from the franchise played the central villain, Gellert Grindelwald.

Grindelwald is a dangerous wizard who has a romantic relationship with Dumbledore. The character was also played by Colin Farrell in 2016's ‘Fantastic Beasts’ film, with the wizard going under another identity. He was later revealed as Grindelwald, with Johnny Depp taking on the role at the end of the first film in the series and acting as the main foil for the franchise's second installment in 2018.

Meanwhile, Johnny Depp has lost the case of libel suit against News Group Newspapers in the UK. The Hollywood actor had sued the UK-based publisher for defamation over an April 17, 2018, article headlined "How can JK Rowling be 'genuinely happy' casting wife-beater Johnny Depp in the new Fantastic Beasts film?"

Warner Bros. asked the actor to leave the role, with Depp writing in an Instagram post Nov. 6 that he agreed to resign. Johnny Depp will, however, be taking home full fee for the role. 

Mads Mikkelsen was previously seen as Hannibal Lecter in Bryn Fuller's ‘Hannibal’, Marvel's ‘Doctor Strange’, and James Bond installment ‘Casino Royale’. He can currently be seen in Danish film ‘Another Round’.