Warner Bros. Pictures have announced today that Hannibal star Mads Mikkelsen will portray the Dark wizard Grindelwald in the third instalment of Fantastic Beasts.

1281302923 GETTY mads-mikkelsen

Image credit: Getty Images for RFF / Stefania M. D'Alessandro / 1281302923

Mads Mikkelsen, who has appeared in the likes of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Casino Royale, will join the ensemble cast already confirmed for the third Fantastic Beasts film, including Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Alison Sudol, Dan Fogler, Katherine Waterston, Callum Turner, Ezra Miller, William Nadylam, Poppy Corby-Tuech, Jessica Williams and Victoria Yeates.

The film will once again be directed by David Yates and will reunite producers David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves, Lionel Wigram and Tim Lewis, along with executive producers Neil Blair, Danny Cohen, Josh Berger and Courtenay Valenti. The screenplay is by J.K. Rowling and Steve Kloves.

The third Fantastic Beasts film is currently slated for release July 15, 2022.