Jude Law will take on the role of the young Dumbledore in a sequel to Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
The Oscar-winning star, most recently seen in Paolo Sorrentino’s small screen drama The Young Pope, will follow in the footsteps of Richard Harris and Michael Gambon, who inhabited older versions of the character in the Harry Potter franchise.
Author JK Rowling revealed in 2007 that the character is gay but it’s unclear as to whether his sexuality will be an element of the forthcoming film. This year has already seen LGBT characters in two blockbusters: Disney’s live-action Beauty and the Beast and the Power Rangers reboot.
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, an adaptation of the Harry Potter spin-off, was a big box office hit in 2016, making over $800m worldwide. Rowling revealed that the new franchise would total five films.
The second will be directed by David Yates, who was also behind the first, and Law will join Johnny Depp who will reprise his villainous character Gellert Grindelwald.
“Jude Law is a phenomenally talented actor whose work I have long admired, and I’m looking forward to finally having the opportunity to work with him,” Yates said in a statement. “I know he will brilliantly capture all the unexpected facets of Albus Dumbledore as JK Rowling reveals this very different time in his life.”
In the Potter films, we see Dumbledore as the headmaster of Hogwarts yet in the prequels, he will be seen as the transfiguration professor. Law will next be seen in Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur adventure and opposite Rooney Mara is music drama Vox Lux.
