Mads Mikkelsen in early talks to replace Johnny Depp as Gellert Grindelwald

Just days after the Fantastic Beasts franchise officially cut ties with Johnny Depp, Danish former Bond villain Mads Mikkelsen is reportedly in early talks to replace Depp as Gellert Grindelwald.

According to Deadline, Mikkelsen is director David Yates’s first choice to play Grindelwald in the upcoming third Fantastic Beasts film - with another two films scheduled to be made afterwards.

The third film, which also stars Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander and Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore, is currently shooting.

The film was originally slated to premiere on November 12, 2021 but was pushed to summer 2022 this week as a result of Covid-19 restrictions and controversy surrounding Depp's libel case against ex-wife Amber Heard.

Depp announced he was ousted from the franchise last week. He claimed that Warner Bros. asked him to resign following his loss of a libel case against British tabloid The Sun.

In his Instagram statement, Depp confirmed that he will appeal and wrote that his “life and career will not be defined by this moment in time.”

Mikkelsen most recently wrapped the Doug Liman-directed Chaos Walking, but is known for his role as shady banker Le Chiffre opposite Daniel Craig in 2006's Casino Royale.

The 54-year-old also played Dr Hannibal Lecter in the television series Hannibal, so he's no stranger to portraying villains on screen.