SHAME

Warner Bros OKs Censorship of Gay Dialogue in New Harry Potter Movie in China

Albus Dumbledore line explicitly confirming on-screen his sexuality for the first time was cut at Beijing’s behest.

Harry Potter fans have known for certain since 2009 that Albus Dumbledore was gay, when the longstanding rumors were confirmed by author J.K. Rowling, but China doesn’t want to hear it. In the new installment of the Potter franchise, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, a brief reference to a gay relationship between Dumbledore (played by Jude Law) and his later nemesis, Gellert Grindewald (played by Mads Mikkelsen), was edited out of the movie by Warner Bros. for the film’s release in China. The dialogue lines, “Because I was in love with you,” and “The summer Gellert and I fell in love,” were cut. Warner Bros. said in a statement to Variety: “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 movie topped the Chinese box office on its opening weekend, which came ahead of the film’s April 15 launch in the U.S.