Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is now in theatres around the world, and though the general consensus seems to be that it’s a fun, yet somewhat lacking franchise starter, that hasn’t stopped Warner Bros. from pushing full steam ahead with those sequel plans. A follow-up to David Yates’ film is already well into development, with the pieces starting to slowly come together.
We already know that Johnny Depp is on board to play Gellert Grindelwald, and that a younger version of Dubmledore is set to have a big role in the franchise moving forward (after all, Newt won’t always be the focus of the series). However, we’ve still heard nothing in regards to who may be playing the iconic character, and with Grindelwald already cast, fans have been hoping to learn of a name becoming attached to the role of the famous wizard for weeks now.
While Warner Bros. is still keeping quiet on that front, a number of actors have already put their hat in the ring for a chance to join the magical world of Fantastic Beasts. The latest to do so is Legends of Tomorrow star Arthur Darvill, who recently told Digital Spy the following:
“Absolutely, [I’m up for playing Dumbldore]. D’you know what? I’ve made this pact with myself that when I hit a certain age, I’m only going to play wizards. I want to be that guy,” he said. “So whether it’s 10 years down the line or… when I can grow a salt and pepper beard, I would be totally happy just playing wizards for the rest of my life,” Darvill continued. “But yeah, if they came knocking saying, ‘We really want you to play the young Dumbledore’, I’d definitely consider it!”
While the actor wouldn’t be a bad choice for the part, the fact that he’s only 34 might get in his way. After all, Dumbledore will be around 45 in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2, so it could be a challenge getting Darvill to look the right age.
The other thing working against him is that though he’s been a hit with fans on Legends of Tomorrow, not to mention the acclaim he’s received for his work on Doctor Who, the actor is still far from a big name. Given that Warner Bros. pulled in Johnny Depp for Grindelwald, they’re probably going to aim just as big for Dumbledore, especially since the two characters will no doubt share a ton of screen time together.
Either way, we’re guessing that we won’t be hearing anything official on the casting front until the new year. For now, the studio wants to keep the focus squarely on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and we don’t really blame them. In the meantime though, feel free to comment down below letting us know who you’d like to see play Dumbledore in the sequel.
