For the past few decades, there have been few franchises quite as beloved as Harry Potter. What started as the perfect novels for young readers eventually became a lifestyle, with two different massive film franchises and even a stage play following. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them helped expand the Wizarding World with a prequel set in America, and the second film will introduce a younger version of beloved icon Professor Dumbledore, played by Jude Law. Law's portrayal has been one of the most highly anticipated aspects of The Crimes of Grindelwald, and now the actor has finally opened up about what to expect when he plays the Hogwarts headmaster. As Law said,
As I mentioned before, there's a sense of humor and mischief, a dash of anarchy, a sense of what's right and what he believes in, and a sense of mystery. There's also how he comes around to get people onto his way of thinking --- which is rather indirectly. He also has a certain heaviness about him that I don't want to reveal too much about --- and that's something he has to overcome, or hopes to overcome. He's also got a great passion for sharing his knowledge, he's a powerful and inclusive teacher.
While the Harry Potter fandom has known and loved Dumbledore for decades, Jude Law will bring a different energy to the character. He'll be a bit more mischievous and presumably less damaged than the older version seen in the Harry Potter franchise. So while Harry's relationship with Dumbledore may have been a more typical mentorship, Jude Law's version will bring new colors to the Headmaster.
Many years after The Harry Potter books were released, author J.K. Rowling revealed that Dumbledore was a gay man-- despite the character not having any romantic plot lines in the seven novels. With Jude Law playing a younger version of Dumbledore, fans were left wondering if the character's queerness would become a plot point-- a potential groundbreaking moment for the franchise as a whole. Alas, news broke that his sexuality won't factor intoThe Crimes of Grindelwald. In his same conversation with EW, Jude Law explained this choice, saying:
Jo Rowling revealed some years back that Dumbledore was gay. That was a question I actually asked Jo and she said, yes, he's gay. But as with humans, your sexuality doesn't necessarily define you; he's multifaceted. I suppose the question is: How is Dumbledore's sexuality depicted in this film? What you got to remember this is only the second Fantastic Beasts film in a series and what's brilliant about Jo's writing is how she reveals her characters, peels them to the heart over time.
While some advocates may have taken umbrage with Dumbledore's lack of sexuality in The Crimes of Grindelwald, Jude Law makes a fair point. Since there will be another three Fantastic Beasts movies, there is time for all facets of Dumbledore's personality to be explored eventually. As to when Dumbledore might have a romantic plot line, it's anyones guess. For now.
Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald will arrive in theaters on November 16th, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
