There was a lot of backlash when it was revealed that Dumbledore’s sexuality wouldn’t be overtly dealt with in the upcoming Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald. Fans were hoping Jude Law appearing as a younger version of the future Hogwarts headmaster would give screenwriter J.K. Rowling the chance to properly explore her revelation that Dumbledore was gay. In particular, through his teenage tryst with dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald.
It was actually director David Yates who first said that the movie wouldn’t dive into Dumbledore’s sexuality, but now he’s changed his tune slightly while speaking to Empire. The filmmaker said that though Law’s character is a closeted gay man at this point in his life, he believes it’ll be obvious to viewers what his intended sexual orientation is.
“Dumbledore is not out as a gay man in this film. This part of this huge narrative that Jo is creating doesn’t focus on his sexuality, but we’re not airbrushing or hiding it… The story [of the romantic relationship] isn’t there in this particular movie but it’s clear in what you see… that he is gay.”
Yates went on to mention that there a few scenes in particular between Dumbledore and the teen Grindelwald – played by Jamie Campbell Bower, reprising his role from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 & 2 – that make it clear that there’s something romantic or at least “sensual” between them. He also teased that the plan is to explore this to a greater extent in the rest of the movies envisioned for the series.
“A couple of scenes we shot are very sensual moments of him and the young Grindelwald. I think people just have to wait and see and appreciate that in movies to come to that relationship will be explored much more fully.”
The most recent trailer for the sequel (above) gave us a glimpse at the scenes Yates mentions here. For one, Law was depicted interacting with the mystical reflection of the young Grindelwald in the Mirror of Erised in a brief clip. It could be telling that he sees Grindelwald in there, as it’s known to show people their heart’s deepest desire. There’s also the mysterious reason why Dumbledore can’t move against his former friend, and why he needs to send Newt Scamander to do it for him, to consider.
Regardless, we’ll discover exactly how much of Dumbledore’s inner life is explored in Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald when it apparates into theaters on November 16th.
