Warner Bros.
Send your angry tweets elsewhere, because J.K. Rowling just put angry fans on mute after uproar over Dumbledore's sexuality in the next "Fantastic Beasts" film.
Twitter exploded on Wednesday, after director David Yates was asked whether the upcoming "Crimes of Grindewald" will make it clear the wizard (played by Jude Law) is gay. "Not explicitly," he told EW. "But I think all the fans are aware of that. He had a very intense relationship with Grindelwald when they were young men. They fell in love with each other's ideas, and ideology and each other."
Getty/Warner Bros.
Potterheads Pile on J.K. Rowling for 'Troubling,' 'Unacceptable' Johnny Depp Defense
View StoryWith the "Fantastic Beasts" sequel giving a glimpse into Dumbledore's younger life and his pursuit of the Dark wizard (played by Johnny Depp), it sure seemed like their twisted love story might hit the big screen. With Yates' update, fans revoted, sending messages towards Rowling herself on Twitter.
Rowling, who wrote the screenplay, was quick to point out that none of them have read it or know what she has planned for the three movies after.
Being sent abuse about an interview that didn't involve me, about a screenplay I wrote but which none of the angry people have read, which is part of a five-movie series that's only one instalment in, is obviously tons of fun, but you know what's even *more* fun? pic.twitter.com/Rj6Zr8aKUk
@jk_rowling
Rowling first revealed she always thought of Dumbledore as gay in 2007, while promoting the last "Harry Potter" book. His sexuality was never addressed in any book, or in any of the films.
Here's a sampling of the angry tweets:
“Not explicitly,” Yates replied when asked if the film makes it clear that Dumbledore is gay. “But I think all the fans are aware of that."
@dreamoforgonon
IT'S 2018 LMAO GET IT TOGETHER
I don't even care because the last thing I want is to see some movie about a gay character's love for Johnny Depp as Wizard Hitler but if you're going to do the thing, do the thing. Jeez.
@dreamoforgonon
jkr: dumbledore is gay lol
@_avasharpe
fans: okay but u didn't put it in the source material
jkr: i know lol
*ten years later*
fans: okay you've got a chance to put it in canon now
jkr: hehe lol i know
fans: so are you gonna
jkr: no lol
Dumbledore will be exactly as ~canonically gay~ in Fantastic Beasts 2 (2018) as he was in Harry Potter 1 (2001), which is to say: not at all.
@Hello_Tailor
I guess Dumbledore's homosexuality is one of the Fantastic Beasts, cause you need a fucking manual to find it
@ATargaryenKing
Lol. There are actually fans using the "being openly gay wouldn't make sense for the time period" argument re: Dumbledore. You can accept three headed dogs, invisibility cloaks, and Aberforth's "affinity" for goats, but not an openly gay dude in the 20th century?
@SarahSterling_
Listen, we all knew it was time to let go of #FantasticBeasts when they doubled down on Depp — that Yates confirmed they're going to sidestep Dumbledore being gay in the film means JK and her team have fucked up huge and it's time to ignore this franchise completely. Let it die. pic.twitter.com/Jj61G7CUkM
@alicialutes
this is the proof that jk rowling only said dumbledore was gay in order to gain more attention, not bc she supported the lgbt+ community. she's a fucking hypocrite are we surprised though? no. https://t.co/4CtKkwmd2X
@grangershug
Uhhh Dumbledore and Grindelwald used to date though??? So what is this movie even going to be https://t.co/XxgKf9HmPB
@EmmyCic
JKR: Dumbledore was gay the whole time!
@kendrawcandraw
Everyone: Oh... its too bad that wasn't in the books explicitly but at least we'll have the movies!
JKR: pic.twitter.com/L3GUoXdEuJ
IT'S LITERALLY THE MOVIE ABOUT DUMBLEDORE AND HIS BOYFRIEND WHO TURNS EVIL
@krislyssara
If you're not going to make Young Dumbledore's sexuality explicitly clear in Fantastic Beasts then why even bother with this film at all tbh?
@JillPantozzi
Can you imagine being this rich and this cowardly? https://t.co/Pv1oD3Ef3B
@heidiheilig
Honestly this is the perfect example of what I'm talking about. NOT saying Dumbledore is gay on-screen isn't just "not taking a stance on supporting LGBTQ+ rights," it's actively supporting a status quo that marginalizes queer people. https://t.co/fyKQzae9S4
@SamMaggs
Dearest @jk_rowling,
@JMOursler
Dumbledore is gay, you say, in a tumultuous relationship with Grindelwald.
In the new FANTASTIC BEASTS, ostensibly about this period of their lives, Dumbledore is "not explicitly" gay.
The thing is that us gays live explicitly. Please advise.
Best,
Us
"So you're explicitly telling me Dumbledore will not be 'explicitly' gay in the movie explicitly covering the time period where he explicitly falls in love WITH ANOTHER MAN???? THAT'S EXPLICITLY GAY AS FUCK BUT OKKKKKKKKKK!!!!" — @Christian_Zamo https://t.co/P4VnzCB66g pic.twitter.com/ab6G9btPSa
@CaseyRackham
David Yates: well, dumbledore won't *explicitly* be ...
@itgetsbedder
me: pic.twitter.com/GBhB0T2reT
Yates and Rowling's refusal to put Dumbledore's sexuality on the screen is not just cowardice, but betrayal. They're maintaining controversy around queerness when they could be tearing prejudice down.
@Wheeler
"Let's randomly turn Fantastic Beasts into a five-part Dumbledore/Grindelwald story without acknowledging that the ENTIRE reason the Dumbledore/Grindelwald relationship is complex is because they were in love." pic.twitter.com/0LqxGbVLY5
@CarolineSiede
"Let's write a story about Dumbledore falling in love with Grindelwald except without the part where they fall in love"
@Coelasquid
I guess its good @FantasticBeasts won't have a explicitly queer Dumbledore. Id hate to see Johnny Depp treat Jude Law the way he treats his women irl.
@MingVaseDynasty
Shockingly, it looks like Fantastic Beasts is going to once again ignore the fact that Dumbledore is gay. I just could never have predicted this. I should have known! Sexuality is irrelevant to the narrative unless it is heterosexuality!!
@CeceEwing_
All I want for 2018 is for Dumbledore to be portrayed explicitly as a gay man in Fantastic Beasts. Honestly, it's the best opportunity to show an LGBT character in a worldwide blockbuster, why wouldn't you fight for that? @jk_rowling It's such a cop out.
@Pistashh
I just can't comprehend why movie studios are still like "well idk about this character being gay" while Ryan Murphy's got daddy/twink sex scenes involving duct tape airing every week on ACS https://t.co/LSrt9vzoQG
@kevinpokeeffe
JK Rowling: Oh yeah, Dumbledore is gay! Just didn't put it in the books.
@ashposton
Us: Ooh! Maybe they'll do better in the Dumbledore-centric movie—
Director: No, he's just gay off-page and off-screen. He's gay in your hearts.https://t.co/IbXPS1WJfO
JK Rowling is fast becoming a person who is all talk and no follow through.
@HannaFlint
"Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindewald" hits theaters November 16, 2018.
