Jude Law, who played a young Albus Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts series, recently spoke with Variety about the future of the franchise and the upcoming Harry Potter television adaptation. Law indicated that Fantastic Beasts is likely on hold as Warner Bros. focuses its efforts on retelling J.K. Rowling’s original seven novels through a new TV series.
“I know it’s certainly on hold,” Law shared. “My guess would be that, now that they’re doing Harry Potter as a TV show, they’ll probably put their energy into that. I certainly haven’t heard that there’s anything on the horizon.”
The Fantastic Beasts franchise debuted in 2016 with Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a film co-written by Rowling that grossed $814 million at the worldwide box office. However, subsequent installments—The Crimes of Grindelwald (2018) and The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)—struggled to match that success, earning $654 million and $407 million, respectively, amid mixed reviews. The series, initially planned as a five-film arc centered on Newt Scamander, played by Eddie Redmayne, and his encounters with the dark wizard Grindelwald, now seems uncertain to reach its original goal.
Redmayne also expressed his own uncertainty about the franchise’s future in an interview with ComicBook.com, stating, “I think they probably have [seen the last of Newt]… that’s as far as I know.”
Reflecting on his role, Law described his initial meetings with Rowling in 2017, during which she detailed Dumbledore’s character arc and his connection to Newt Scamander. Among the notes she shared was a key insight that Dumbledore saw himself as a “monster,” which shaped his affinity for Newt. “That’s why he liked Newt, because Newt took care of monsters,” Law explained.
Law also touched on Dumbledore’s inner struggles, particularly his guilt over his past relationship with Grindelwald and the tragedy that followed. He described Dumbledore as someone who believed he was “unlovable” because of the way he trusted his heart, leading to the death of his sister in a fateful duel.
Despite the uncertain fate of Fantastic Beasts, Law reflected fondly on his time as Dumbledore. “I liked his heart, and I liked playing him because of that,” he said, adding that he enjoyed exploring the character’s complexities and “extraordinary powers.”
Law’s comments align with Warner Bros.’ recent pivot towards reimagining the Harry Potter saga for television, marking a new chapter for the beloved wizarding world while leaving the future of Fantastic Beasts in question.
