Mikkelsen’s breakthrough and his longest running character was while the a sensitive and painful cop inside the Niels Arden Oplev’s Danish tv collection nv casino Rejseholdet (Unit One) (2000�03), where the guy acquired the latest 2002 Ideal Actor Prize from . He turned into much more the most common around the world having his role as the Tristan within the Jerry Bruckheimer’s creation of the film Queen Arthur (2004), that was a commercial victory even with bad product reviews. [ 19 ]

In 2006, Mikkelsen played contrary Stine Stengade and you will Jana Plodkova when you look at the Ole Christian Madsen’s honor-effective film Prag (Prague). Eddie Cockrell out of Diversity detailed their «tight countenance» for the a keen «outstanding» overall performance. [ 20 ] A comparable seasons, Mikkelsen achieved his first widely applauded global success given that Le Chiffre on the twenty-basic James Bond flick, Gambling enterprise Royale. Mikkelsen states he thus without difficulty won the fresh new region you to definitely actually Daniel Craig asked him in the event the he previously slept having some one to-be throw. [ 21 ] He told you of your own casting, «They had complete their research, seen my personal posts, it try okay, just a bit of anti-climax, because the I found myself very ready to would way more to them, it try … shrugs. you’re in.» [ 21 ] The guy along with reported that due to the fact he was already a giant movie star into the Denmark at that time, that the globally part didn’t very alter far. [ 21 ] Roger Ebert detailed brand new anticipation throughout Mikkelsen’s scene which have Thread during the the brand new expanded web based poker online game, where Le Chiffre weeps blood from their left attention. [ 22 ] David Edelstein of the latest York Journal told you «Mikkelsen ticks their square plaques because if they are another reproduce from hoping mantis. He’s bloodcurdling.» [ 23 ] Into the 2006, Mikkelsen plus got top honors role about Danish crisis Once the wedding, and that gained a keen Academy Honor nomination having Finest Foreign Film. [ a dozen ] At the same time, the guy acquired a beneficial Western european Motion picture Prize for Greatest Actor nomination to have their overall performance as well as in 2007, won the brand new Palm Springs Globally Motion picture Festival Prize to have Top Actor. The new York Minutes remarked that for the Movie industry scene, Mikkelsen possess «feel a reliable character actor having a fascinating glass» however, reported that towards residential top «he or she is something different: a superstar, an axiom, a facial of resurgent Danish theatre.» [ 24 ]
Within the 2008, Mikkelsen illustrated Danish opposition fighter Jorgen Haagen Schmith opposite Thure Lindhardt and you will Stine Stengade inside the Ole Christian Madsen’s Flames & Citron (Flammen & Citronen), a motion picture that is broadly based on genuine incidents connected with two of the most effective competitors regarding the Holger Danske resistance category throughout the The second world war. [ twenty-five ] Mikkelsen’s profile nicknamed «Citronen» is named immediately after a great Citroen warehouse and then he work. [ twenty six ] Michael O’ Sullivan of one’s Arizona Post compared Mikkelsen and you will Lindhardt’s emails in order to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Child and you may asserted that it�s «the storyline out of good-looking rogues that have guns. It is prompt-moving, want and you can fascinating.» [ twenty-six ] During the 2008, Mikkelsen along with offered the fresh new voice into character Ce Chiffre into the new Quantum of Peace and quiet video game, and then he represented Ce Chiffre when he try enjoy to your launch of Swiss watchmaker Swatch’s «007 Villain Range» in the Bregenz, Austria. [ twenty-seven ] The coming year, putting on a reputation among Europe’s really sensuous men actors, Mikkelsen played a trending-blooded Stravinsky opposite Anna Mouglalis within the The month of january Kounen’s critically applauded Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky in line with the romance amongst the composer and also the fashion designer. Kingdom mag discussed it a great «visually fantastic film [which] concentrates on Chanel and you can Stravinsky’s illegal relationship into the 1920s France.» [ twenty eight ] Philip French of Observer discussed the film since the a great «beautiful, intelligent, low film, for example a pane off plate-glass one to at first sight looks such a deep lake», and you can pointed out that Mikkelsen’s Stravinsky matched up Mouglalis’s Coco Chanel due to the fact a good «fellow modernist and similarly cool egotist.» [ 29 ] Mikkelsen after that returned to criminal actions, working together again that have Refn, to relax and play a Norse warrior from the Crusades inside the Valhalla Ascending (2009) and you can Draco, a home-compromising chief of one’s king’s protect in Conflict of Titans (2010). [ a dozen ] Valhalla Rising was sample totally when you look at the Scotland. [ thirty ]