10 Mads Mikkelsen Movies to Watch When You Finish Hannibal
More to watch from one of the best actors working today.
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So you're watching Hannibal. Welcome. One of the most underrated shows of the 2010s was recently put on Netflix, introducing the small screen adaptation of Thomas Harris' books to a whole new audience. There's a problem, though—as good as Hannibal is, there's only three seasons of it, and then you're SOL. While we're cautiously hopeful for a possible fourth season on Netflix, there's nothing at all set in stone. So in the meantime, we're going to recommend that any Hannibal fan do the next best thing: watch some movies where Mads Mikkelsen tears it up on screen. He's awesome as Hannibal Lecter, but that's far from his only great role.
The Danish actor is often cast as villains, killers, and psychos, and while he's great at that he can also do a whole lot more, as you'll see in some of the selections on this list. All of these movies are available to either stream with a subscription to a video service, or rent on Amazon Video.
And look—these characters can't all be as charming, and compelling, and creepy as Hannibal Lecter. It's a one-of-a-kind character, and he's loved in the role for a reason. But these movies do a brilliant job of putting this wonderful actor's skill set on full display, and you might be surprised at how good these movies are. From iconic villains to side roles to foreign films you probably missed, here's a great list to curb your Hannibal hunger.
Casino Royale (2006)
Casino Royale was probably the first time most American movie fans saw Mikkelsen, and what a debut it was. As the main villain in Daniel Craig's first outing as James Bond, Mikkelsen goes toe-to-toe with Craig for the entire film, and the two have some incredibly tense scenes where they basically just stare into each other's eyes while playing poker. But it's so good, and so intense. Casino Royale might still be Craig's best 007 outing, and Mikkelsen very well might be the best villain he faced off against. Even with Hannibal in the mix, this is still probably Mikkelsen's most famous role.
The Hunt (2013)
If Casino Royale was Mikkelsen's most famous pre-Hannibal role, The Hunt was his most acclaimed. This Danish film tells a sad, dramatic story about how a little white lie can snowball into something very harmful. The movie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and Mikkelsen had legitimate Oscar buzz of his own after winning Best Actor at Cannes. Our guy flexes his acting muscles big time in this one.
Arctic (2019)
Last year's Arctic finds Mikkelsen in a place moviegoers have likely seen before: stranded in a very cold place after an airplane crash. Mikkelsen pulls a Cast Away, spending most of the movie on-screen by himself, as his character decides whether to maintain his own camp for as long as he can, or trek into the unknown to seek humanity, shelter, and help.
Polar (2019)
OK, so it might be a little tricky to call Polar a "good" movie (it only has a 19% on Rotten Tomatoes). But this 2019 Netflix action flick is basically a highly-stylized ripoff of John Wick with Mikkelsen in the Keanu part. That alone has gotta be worth your two hours, right?
Doctor Strange (2016)
After Casino Royale and Hannibal, Mikkelsen became one of the go-to villains of the movie industry, and he filled that role admirably when he played an evil sorcerer named Kaecilius in Doctor Strange. Facing off against Benedict Cumberbatch as the titular hero, Mikkelsen chews some scenery as he casts spells and wreaks havocs. It's pretty much what you'd expect, but that doesn't mean it's not a ton of fun.
Valhalla Rising (2009)
In Valhalla Rising, Mikkelsen leads a fantasy epic where he plays a Norse warrior named 'One-Eye,' who travels through a mystical realm with a young companion. It's filled with action and violence. This movie is also directed by Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive), so you know it's going to be absolutely outrageous.
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
After Casino Royale and Doctor Strange, no one would fault you if you saw Mikkelsen's name attached to Rogue One and figured he was playing a very classic Star Wars villain. Instead, though, he played very against type, appearing as Galen Erso, the loving father of protagonist Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones). An early scene features Mikkelsen together with fellow frequent villain Ben Mendelsohn (who plays Rogue One's actual villain), and it's one of the best intros in recent Star Wars memory.
Charlie Countryman (2013)
This movie is worth checking out for the cast alone. As a hyper-stylized, bizarre thriller, Mikkelsen plays the villain/third point in a cursed love triangle between co-stars Shia Labeouf and Evan Rachel Wood.
The Door (2009)
The Door is a dark, sad, story that veers into science-fiction. Mikkelsen leads the movie as an artist who loses his young daughter to a terrible tragedy; what seems like a second chance, as you might expect, is not as it seems. This movie is a German production, but you can watch on Prime right now with English subtitles.
At Eternity's Gate (2018)
Mikkelsen plays a different role from what you might think of him in At Eternity's Gate, a movie made by the painter Julian Schnabel (who also made The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) about Vincent Van Gogh (played here by Willem Dafoe). Mikkelsen takes the opportunity here to play Van Gogh's confidant, an unnamed priest—and the two share several tender, intense moments of conversation and contemplation.
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