Warner Bros. removes dialogue from 'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore' in China
The move comes after the studio received a request to remove lines referencing Dumbledore's gay relationship
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Warner Bros. confirmed it has removed part of its dialogue from "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" to satisfy the Chinese government.
The studio announced the news in a statement, sharing that six seconds of the film was requested to be removed. The cuts take out direct references to character Albus Dumbledore's (Jude Law) romantic relationship with Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen).
"As a studio, we’re committed to safeguarding the integrity of every film we release, and that extends to circumstances that necessitate making nuanced cuts in order to respond sensitively to a variety of in-market factors," a Warner Bros. spokesperson said in a statement.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Our hope is to release our features worldwide as released by their creators but historically we have faced small edits made in local markets. In the case of ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,’ a six-second cut was requested and Warner Bros. accepted those changes to comply with local requirements but the spirit of the film remains intact," the statement continues.
William Nadylam, David Yates, Dan Fogler, Eddie Redmayne, Victoria Yeates and Jessica Williams attend "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" fan event on April 6, 2022 in New York City. (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
"We want audiences everywhere in the world to see and enjoy this film, and it’s important to us that Chinese audiences have the opportunity to experience it as well, even with these minor edits," it concludes.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}According to The Hollywood Reporter, there are two specific lines of the characters' past romance that will no longer be shown in China. The lines include, "I was in love with you," and "the summer Gellert and I fell in love."
A screen shows actor Jude Law and actor Mads Mikkelsen speaking via video link during 'Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore' premiere at a cinema on April 6, 2022 in Beijing, China. (VCG/VCG via Getty Images)
The lines confirm that Dumbledore, a fan favorite in the iconic "Harry Potter" series, is gay and had a relationship with Grindelwald, a dark wizard.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" was released in China on April 8, just a week ahead of the movie's scheduled launch in the U.S. on April 15.
Reports say the movie was at the top of the charts in China during its opening weekend.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jude Law, Mads Mikkelsen and Eddie Redmayne attend a photocall for "Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" in the Great Hall at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London on March 29, 2022 in London, England. (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Warner Bros.)
J.K. Rowling, the movie's co-screenwriter and producer, revealed Dumbledore is gay back in 2007.
"Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore" is the third installment for the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise, following "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" and "The Crimes of Grindelwald."
The movie's trailer was released in December.
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The third installment made headlines back in 2020 when it was revealed that Mikkelsen would replace Johnny Depp in the movie.
It is directed by David Yates, marking his seventh film within the "Harry Potter" franchise.