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Warner Bros. Removed LGBT References in ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’ to Appease Beijing

China, El American

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All references to homosexuality found in the new installment of the famous Harry Potter saga, “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” were removed for its release in China on April 8, according to reports.

A report by Variety magazine indicated that Warner Bros. accepted China’s request to remove six seconds of the 142-minute film and to edit dialogues that alluded to the romantic relationship between the male characters of Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald, the protagonist and antagonist of the film, respectively.

Accepting China’s requests

According to the magazine’s report, the lines that were removed are “because I was in love with you” and “the summer Gellert and I fell in love,” part of the main character’s dialogue.

The rest of the film, according to Variety, remained unchanged, including a scene where it is implied that an “intimate bond” existed between the two characters.

“As a studio, we’re committed to safeguarding the integrity of every film we release, and that extends to circumstances that necessitate making nuanced cuts in order to respond sensitively to a variety of in-market factors (…) Our hope is to release our features worldwide as released by their creators but historically we have faced small edits made in local markets.”

The company clarified that “the spirit of the film” remains untouched after the removal of the six seconds indicated by Chinese authorities. “We want audiences everywhere in the world to see and enjoy this film, and it’s important to us that Chinese audiences have the opportunity to experience it as well, even with these minor edits.”

The relationship between Dumbledore, the headmaster of the school of magic, and his archenemy, Grindelwald, was no secret. J.K. Rowling, the author of the saga, revealed the love between the two male characters in 2007, and subsequently clarify it on multiple occasions.

The film’s release in China was a box-office hit, grossing as much as $15.5 million in its first weekend, Variety reported.

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