The teaser trailer of the Fantastic Beasts sequel, The Crimes of Grindelwald, has dropped this week. The two minute clip has already raised dozens of questions about the new movie, especially the non-Potterheads who saw Fantastic Beasts in theaters, were mildly entertained, and never saw the movie again.
Here are a few questions that have been raised:
Dan Fogler’s character lost his memory Men In Black-style at the end of the last movie, does he suddenly get reintroduced to magic?
What is Dan Fogler’s character’s name again?
Johnny Depp looks like Jack Frost?
Newt grabs a loose Bowtruckle in the trailer, are these creatures still somehow escaping his suitcase? Does he need a new lock?
Could we have a refresher course on the dark matter that floats out of Ezra Miller’s hand?
What is Ezra Miller’s character’s name again?
In a trailer full of new images there is one clear superstar: Jude Law as young Albus Dumbledore.
Jude Law is the master at playing young characters and young versions of famous characters. In The Aviator, he plays a young Errol Flynn. In the modern Sherlock Holmes movies he plays a young Dr. Watson. In The Grand Budapest Hotel, his character’s name is literally “Young Writer”. In 2016, Jude Law starred in an HBO show called The Young Pope. With a resume like that he was the clear choice to play young Albus Dumbledore.
The first shot of him is from behind. The walk has a unique kind of swagger, this is a man that is comfortable walking the Hogwarts corridors. A group of apparating detectives arrive to the school to question him about something. Just as a wild guess, but maybe they are asking about the crimes of Grindelwald.
“This is a surprise,” exclaims Dumbledore. Through Law’s delivery of the line it is clear that Dumbledore is not very surprised.
The detectives know that Newt is working under Dumbledore’s orders, because of course he does. Dumbledore is a kingpin.
The name is dropped just as the trailer shows Dumbledore’s omniscient grin. And then:
Even Dumbledore’s coats are better than everyone else’s.
“If you ever had the pleasure to teach him, you’d know Newt is not a great follower of orders.”
It is impossible not to see Albus Dumbledore in this moment. This is the best moment of the trailer, because this is the moment where we can see that Jude Law is the perfect young Dumbledore. It is all done through subtle physicality and enunciation. His head starts low and gradually moves up and around his audience. Dumbledore is doing his classic charismatic lecture to an audience who has know idea he is three moves ahead of them.
His cadence has the exact amount of gravitas as the older Dumbledore. His title is professor but in his mind he is already headmaster. Since we know Dumbledore we know he loves people who aren’t great followers of orders.
“I can’t move against Grindelwald. It has to be you.”
Dumbledore’s last line in the trailer can be theorized about all the way until the movie comes out on November 11. True Potter nerds know that Dumbledore and Grindelwald have a history. The two have had a lifelong friendship, possibly even a romantic relationship, possibly to the point where Dumbledore will find himself unable to act against his old friend. He is a fascinating character not only because of his swagger, leadership skills and jackets. He is a fascinating character because he can simultaneously be vulnerable and withholding. There is a tender heart under the kingpin exterior.
Albus Dumbledore’s role in the Fantastic Beasts sequel will undoubtedly be significant. There is still much to be determined on the film. It could still have problems, but it is probably safe to say that Jude Law as young Dumbledore won’t be one of them.
