Gellert Grindelwald is a name that’s associated with a great many things in the Harry Potter universe, but perhaps more so than anything else, Grindelwald resonated with Potterheads for his passionate and at-times dangerous relationship with the great Albus Dumbledore.
It’s a fiery romance that’s very much ingrained in Dumbledore’s backstory, so you can imagine our disappointment when David Yates, director of Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, announced that his Potter prequel won’t explicitly address the sexuality of Hogwarts’ would-be headmaster.
Fans were incensed – and rightly so – as the decision to ignore LGBTQ representation is becoming all too common for Hollywood executives. Series mastermind J.K. Rowling has since weighed in on the debate, and now, Entertainment Weekly has quizzed Jude Law about how the young Dumbledore should be depicted.
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?
As the man tasked with playing the young Dumbledore for The Crimes of Grindelwald, Jude Law knows a thing or two about how Warner Bros. is handling the legendary character. And it seems the studio may hold fire on the Grindelwald-Dumbledore romance until future installments.
The actor continued:
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. You’re just getting to know Albus in this film, and there’s obviously a lot more to come. We learn a little about his past in the beginning of this film, and characters and their relationships will unfold naturally which I’m excited to reveal. But we’re not going to reveal everything all at once.
The second of five Fantastic Beasts movies is set to whisk viewers off to 1920s Paris, where a great new adventure is afoot. November 16th is the date for your diaries.