As Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is heading for its North American release, the film is already showing in most parts of the world where it has been reportedly doing well at the box office. However, on the film's theatrical release in China, it seems that a small significant portion was actually edited out due to the romantic relationship of the two male characters.
According to Variety, six seconds of the 142-minute runtime that explicitly alluded to the relationship of Dumble and Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore were cut on its theatrical release in China. The dialogue lines "because I was in love with you" and "the summer Gellert and I fell in love" were edited out although the rest of the film still implies that the two characters have an intimate bond.
Warner Bros. said in a statement regarding the edit, "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."
"In the case of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, a six-second cut was requested and Warner Bros. accepted those changes to comply with local requirements but the spirit of the film remains intact," they continued. "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."
It is disappointing that such edits were made although it's also not surprising at the same time since China is not known to be friendly when it comes to LGBT references and representation in media. It looks like Warner Bros. decided to go on a compromise since they really want the film to be released in China and they want to get whatever box office receipts that they can in the country even if it would cut a small significant portion.
Per the official synopsis, the film is set in the 1930s leading up to the Wizarding World's involvement in World War II and "will explore the magical communities in Bhutan, Germany, and China in addition to previously established locations including Brazil, the United States, and United Kingdom. With Grindelwald's power rapidly growing, Albus Dumbledore entrusts Newt Scamander and his friends on a mission that will lead to a clash with Grindelwald's army, and will lead Dumbledore to ponder how long he will stay on the sidelines in the approaching war."
Returning cast members include Eddie Redmayne, Jude Law, Katherine Waterston, Dan Fogler, Alison Sudol, Ezra Miller, Callum Turner, and Jessica Williams. Mikkelsen joins as Gellert Grindlewald, replacing Depp who played the role in the last two films. David Yates is also back to direct the film.
Also Read: Fantastic Beasts 3 Star Mads Mikkelsen Disses Method Acting
Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is set to be released in North American theaters this Friday, April 15.
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