It looks like Warner Bros are lining up Mads Mikkelsen to take over the role of dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald from Johnny Depp in the third instalment of ‘Fantastic Beasts’.

The ‘Hannibal’ and ‘Doctor Strange’ star has entered into early negotiations to take on the role after Warner Bros forced Depp to leave the franchise over the dubious allegations of abuse towards his ex-wife Amber Heard after Depp lost a libel case in the UK courts.

It is reported that Mikkelsen’s addition comes just in the knick of time, with Depp only reportedly having shot one scene, meaning Mikkelsen won’t have too much ground to cover.

It is also reported, that even though Depp only shot that one scene, Warner Bros have paid him his full salary for the film.

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Grindelwald is a brilliant and ruthless dark wizard who in his youth maintained a complicated romantic relationship with the famed wizard Albus Dumbledore (played by Jude Law in the “Fantastic Beasts” films).

Eddie Redmayne, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol and Ezra Miller all return to the third movie. David Yates is directing the film from a screenplay by Rowling and Steve Kloves; Rowling, Kloves, David Heyman, and Lionel Wigram are producing.

Production on the new film began on September 20th in London