Mads Mikkelsen reflects on his career and upcoming projects at Comic Con Astana 2024
Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen captivated the audience at Comic Con Astana 2024 with an engaging Q&A session that delved into his career, past roles, and future projects. The session was accompanied by Mikkelsen’s characteristic wit and candidness, touching upon a wide range of topics: from cinematography to his thoughts on potential revivals of beloved series. Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports from the event.
When reminiscing about his early career, Mikkelsen expressed a longing for the past. “Of course, it's a bit late now,” he said, “but 20–30 years ago, I would play in a movie with Bruce Lee. I would even play in a movie with Bruce Lee. But unfortunately, it's probably too late now.”
On the topic of his frequent portrayal of antagonists, Mikkelsen shared his observations on typecasting. “In Denmark and Germany, I usually don't play bad guys, but in Hollywood, yes, there are only two roles where I'm not a bad guy,” he explained. “Probably this is due to the fact that I have a funny accent, so I played both Germans, Arabs, and Russians, so probably this is due to this.”
Addressing the potential revival of Hannibal, Mikkelsen was optimistic yet urgent. “Ever since we stopped, we talked about the continuation of Hannibal. I know for a fact that all the actors and the director wanted to do it,” he said. “It's just a question of what home and who will pick us up. But we're ready,” he continued. Mikkelsen jokingly said, “They have to be fast because we're not getting any younger.”
He also introduced his new project Castle 20 by Bryan Fuller. “It's a film about a girl who thinks that there is some kind of monster in her bed, and I'm her neighbor, who tries to prove to her that it's not so, but in the end it turns out that I'm wrong,” he described. “It's like a film for children, but it's also a crime film, so not quite.”
Looking ahead, Mikkelsen revealed details about his upcoming Danish film, The Last Viking. “I'm going to shoot a Danish film; it's a black comedy, with a friend of mine. I've done five films with him; the last one was called Riders of Justice, with the great features of Adam Sandler," he said.
Comparing indie and horror films, Mikkelsen noted the differences for directors and actors. “For a director, it's a very big difference,” he said. “For a director, he has to work with 500 people instead of 10 people, right? As actors, we just say good morning to 500 people or to 10 people. It depends on whom. For directors, of course, it depends on the film. A small budget for a small film crew is different from working on a Hollywood film," he explained.
In discussing his favorite roles, Mikkelsen expressed a desire to revisit past characters. “I like them, and I had the opportunity to go back and visit Tony with the professionals. I had the opportunity to spend three years with Hannibal. I would love to go back to Hannibal, and I would love to go back to a few of my characters. Other characters are finished, but maybe Tony from Pusher and definitely Hannibal. I would like to go back," Mikkelson stated.
Mikkelsen also spoke about stepping into role previously played by Johnny Depp, emphasizing his respect for Depp. “It was a very difficult situation. The world, well, turned upside down,” he acknowledged. “But I know Depp; we communicate well together. I met him a couple of times, and I respect him very much. They asked me if I wanted to take over, and I was reluctant. But I also knew that Johnny wouldn't mind, so it was very important for me to leave what he had done to be his own masterpiece, and I had to do something completely different. To try to copy them would be insane and suicidal. So we tried to go as far away as we could," he explained.
Mikkelsen also teased his involvement in the Lion King prequel, mentioning his role in expanding the backstory of iconic characters. “We will be playing as the side characters,” he said. “It's a story about how Mufasa became Mufasa. How Scar became the Scar we know. I play the part of a pair, the possessor of the legendary pair, who believes that only the best means of protection against this fall can be used. I play such a character. In this story, it is told why everything happened and why everyone became like this in the first place.”
Mads Mikkelsen’s appearance at Comic Con Astana 2024 on July 27 and 28 offered fans a fascinating glimpse into his career and upcoming projects, as well as an opportunity for a meet and greet with the star.
