Cast of Fantastic Beasts 3: Full List, Recasts & More

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore arrived in theaters in 2022 carrying more than magical creatures — it bore the shadow of a casting overhaul that dominated headlines for months. When the third installment in the Wizarding World franchise needed a new antagonist, the studio made a decision that reshaped the film’s entire identity.

Director: David Yates · Lead Actor: Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander · Dumbledore: Jude Law · Release Year: 2022 · Key Recast: Johnny Depp replaced

Cast of Fantastic Beasts 3

The film features an ensemble cast led by Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander and Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore. Ezra Miller reprises the role of Credence Barebone, while Dan Fogler returns as Jacob Kowalski and Alison Sudol as Queenie Goldstein. Jessica Williams plays Eulalie “Lally” Hicks, a Charms teacher at Ilvermorny, joining Katherine Waterston as Tina Goldstein, Head of the MACUSA Auror Office, and Callum Turner as Theseus Scamander.

The table below summarizes key production and cast details for the third Fantastic Beasts installment.

Main Characters and Actors

Eddie Redmayne leads the ensemble as Newt Scamander, the magizoologist at the heart of the Wizarding World spin-off series.

• Eddie Redmayne as Newt Scamander — the franchise’s central protagonist
• Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore — the mentor figure whose past drives the plot
• Mads Mikkelsen as Gellert Grindelwald — the villain whose casting became headline news
• Ezra Miller as Credence Barebone / Aurelius Dumbledore
• Katherine Waterston as Tina Goldstein
• Callum Turner as Theseus Scamander, Newt’s Auror brother

Supporting Cast

• Dan Fogler as Jacob Kowalski
• Alison Sudol as Queenie Goldstein
• Jessica Williams as Eulalie “Lally” Hicks
• Richard Coyle as Aberforth Dumbledore — Albus’s brother
• Victoria Yeates as Bunty Broadacre, Newt’s assistant
• Fiona Glascott as Minerva McGonagall
• Oliver Masucci as Anton Vogel, Supreme Leader of the ICW
• Poppy Corby-Tuech as Vinda Rosier, Grindelwald’s follower
• William Nadylam as Yusuf Kama
• Valerie Pachner as Henrietta Fischer
• Maria Fernanda Cândido as Vicência Santos

The pattern across 15-plus major roles is consistency: Warner Bros. retained virtually every performer who appeared in the second film. Even the younger actors playing Dumbledore’s brother and his followers stayed the same across regions, with no notable casting changes for international releases.

Why Johnny Depp Left Cast of Fantastic Beasts 3

Johnny Depp played Gellert Grindelwald in the first two Fantastic Beasts films before exiting the third. Warner Bros. asked him to resign from the role late in 2020, and he agreed to that request. Depp had filmed one scene for Fantastic Beasts 3 before being asked to step aside, and the studio paid him an eight-figure sum under the terms of his pay-or-play contract.

Background on Departure

The casting change stemmed from Depp’s highly publicized legal battle with Amber Heard, whose allegations of domestic abuse became central to a libel case. Public scrutiny intensified after their divorce, and Warner Bros. made the business decision to part ways with the actor. Multiple outlets documented the transition, with The Independent publishing Depp’s own statement confirming his resignation.

“I wish to let you know that I have been asked to resign by Warner Bros from my role as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts and I have respected and agreed to that request.”

— Johnny Depp, via The Independent

Replacement Actor

Mads Mikkelsen officially replaced Depp in late 2020 after the original actor’s exit. The Danish actor, best known for his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter in the TV series, brought a different screen presence to the white-haired wizard. Fans had petitioned for Colin Farrell — who played Graves in the first film — to return, but he was unavailable due to his commitment to The Batman.

The implication: the recasting forced audiences to accept a fundamentally different villain interpretation, and Mikkelsen’s relative lack of franchise visibility (compared to Depp’s star power) shifted how the film’s marketing approached the antagonist.

Cast of Fantastic Beasts 3 Trailer

The official trailers for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore showcased the full ensemble in action. Preview footage revealed Mikkelsen’s Grindelwald delivering speeches to followers, Ezra Miller’s Credence navigating his identity crisis, and Jude Law’s Dumbledore orchestrating a resistance against dark wizardry. The trailers also highlighted the magical creatures — a Newt Scamander signature — alongside the human drama of loyalty and betrayal.

Trailer Highlights

• First looks at Mads Mikkelsen’s Grindelwald in full costume
• Ezra Miller’s Credence confronting his heritage
• Jude Law’s Dumbledore planning a counterstrike
• Newt and Jacob navigating foreign magical ministries

Cast Appearances

Eddie Redmayne’s Newt appears as both the film’s moral center and its comic relief through creature interactions. Jude Law’s Dumbledore operates as a chess player, directing moves from behind the scenes while maintaining plausible deniability. Jessica Williams’ Lally Hicks provides an Ilvermorny perspective that connects the American setting to European wizarding traditions.

What this means: the trailers walked a line between spoiling the major cast moments and hiding the extent of Mikkelsen’s screen presence until the film released.

Cast of Fantastic Beasts 3 Release Date

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore released globally on April 8, 2022 in the UK and Ireland, with a US release following on April 15, 2022. The film premiered in multiple markets simultaneously, with no regional casting variations in the international versions.

Theatrical Release

The April 2022 premiere came after production finished at Leavesden Studios in Hertfordshire, the same facility where all Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films have been shot. Despite the recasting controversy, Warner Bros. maintained its planned release window without significant delays.

Streaming Availability

After its theatrical run, the film became available on HBO Max (now Max) in the US and on Peacock in certain territories, eventually expanding to other streaming platforms as licensing agreements evolved.

The catch: the franchise’s future beyond this film remains unclear, which affects how audiences should evaluate the cast’s long-term significance.

Cast of Fantastic Beasts 3 Dónal Finn and Albert

Some search queries specifically look for Dónal Finn and an “Albert” character in relation to Fantastic Beasts 3. The research notes confirm that Dónal Finn does not appear in The Secrets of Dumbledore. He replaced Callum Turner as Theseus Scamander beginning in the fourth film or subsequent productions, not the third installment.

Dónal Finn’s Role

Dónal Finn, an actor known for his work in The Curse, took over the role of Theseus Scamander after Callum Turner departed the franchise. This change occurred for later Fantastic Beasts installments and does not affect The Secrets of Dumbledore’s cast.

Albert Character Actor

The character Albert does not appear in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. If viewers encountered this name in unofficial sources, it may refer to confusion with other characters or speculative content that did not make it into the final film.

The trade-off: search results for these specific queries reflect audience confusion about cast continuity, which is understandable given the franchise’s shifting plans and recasting decisions.

“There has to be a bridge between what Johnny did and what I’m going to do. And at the same time, I also have to make it my own.

— Mads Mikkelsen, Actor, via YouTube Interview

“Mads Mikkelsen brings a chilling, understated ruthlessness to Grindelwald, becoming the perfect successor to Johnny Depp’s white-haired whisperer.”

— GamesRadar critic review

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore ultimately succeeded where many expected it to struggle. Despite the Grindelwald recasting and the surrounding controversy, critics and audiences found Mikkelsen’s interpretation compelling. The film earned praise for his performance even as the franchise’s broader trajectory remained uncertain. For dedicated Wizarding World fans, the cast delivered everything the story required; for casual viewers, the streaming availability made it accessible after the theatrical run.

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Eddie Redmayne returns as Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts 3, where the detailed ensemble breakdown highlights Jude Law’s Dumbledore and Mads Mikkelsen’s pivotal Grindelwald recast.

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