Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them has started a fun new adventure in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter Wizarding World, and now fans are looking ahead to the future of the franchise, excited about the unfolding story of the legendary rivalry between Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald.
Johnny Depp has firmly been established as playing the younger version of Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts saga – but the franchise still has the momentous task of casting a young version of Dumbledore, who was played in the Harry Potter films by actors Michael Gambon and the late Richard Harris.
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As a fun point of trivia, Harris’ son is actually Mad Men and Fringe star, Jared Harris. Harry Potter have seized on that relation in effort to start a campaign for Jared Harris to play the younger version of Dumbledore; now, the actor himself is responding to that call, letting fans know how likely (or not) it is to happen.
According to Harris (via Evening Standard), “Having seen [fan campaigns] before I find that [film bosses] don’t like to have their hands forced,” he said. “These campaigns almost always go in a different direction.“
That’s a splash of cold water on fans hopes to see the son follow in the casting footsteps of his father, but it is a realistic perspective from an experienced actor that is (unfortunately) more likely to turn out true than not. Fans always have their casting hopes and wishes, but there’s a reason that casting directors have their jobs: they know how to put talent into roles with better results than fan-casting is likely to produce.
…Still, it would be fun for Potter die-hards (and great for Richard Harris’ career) is this were to actually happen. Harris is a talented actor, so there would be little worry that he would do the role justice.
LINKS: Fantastic Beasts Official Review / Fantasic Beats’ Harry Potter Connections / Where the Franchise Goes Next / Fantastic Beasts Timeline / Johnny Depp Rumored to Cameo / There Will be 5 Fantastic Beasts Films / Will we see the Dumbledore/Grindelwald Love Affair? / Who is Newt Scamander?
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is now in theaters.
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