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A number of LGBTQ advocates and media leftists are crying foul after Warner Bros. reportedly caved to communist Chinese censors and edited out references to the gay romance in author J.K. Rowling’s film “Fantastic Beasts 3” between the two lead characters Dumbledore and Grindelwald.
Variety reported that the “references to a gay relationship in ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’ were edited out of the movie by Warner Bros. for the film’s release in China.”
The media outlet also claimed that Warner Brothers “accepted China’s request to remove six seconds from the movie.” The film is 142 minutes long.
The brief interlude in the movie “alluded to the romantic past” between the film’s main characters, Dumbledore and Grindelwald.
“The dialogue lines ‘because I was in love with you’ and ‘the summer Gellert and I fell in love’ were cut from ‘The Secrets of Dumbledore,’” Variety noted.
(Video Credit: Daily Mail | Warner Bros.)
“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,” Warner Bros. declared in a statement given to Variety. “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,” the statement added. “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.”
Rowling announced in 2009 that Dumbledore was gay. That proclaimed fact was allegedly never mentioned in any book or movie in the Harry Potter franchise. Professor Dumbledore is the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the saga.
Out Magazine was incensed over the WB decision, tweeting, “It’s a shame that, in 2022, certain countries are still censoring LGBTQIA+ characters in film and television.”
Warner Bros. removed "gay dialogue" from the Chinese cut of the upcoming 'Fantastic Beasts 3.'
Big business complies when China wants something, but if YOU want your five year old child to not be groomed you're a racist, bigoted, domestic terrorist.
— Dr. Willie J. Montague (@RepMontague) April 12, 2022
Vox.com podcast editor Matt Collette slammed the move, tweeting, “lololol ‘Only six seconds of the movie’s 142-minute runtime were removed.’”
He then tore into Warner Bros. and J.K. Rowling over the issue, “so it seems likely that Warner Bros and JKR were never particularly willing to go there either.”
Julie Hinds, who is a Detroit Free Press Pop Culture critic, was also angry over the bowing to China, saying, “A major studio works its magic, making tolerance and acceptance disappear.”
BuzzFeedNews’ Brandon Wall branded the censorship as “pathetic.”
He bluntly tweeted, “It’s pathetic how willing movie studios are to censor even the most perfunctory LGBTQ+ token moments (in this case, six seconds) in order to secure a China release.”
He who has the $ makes the rules then.
— Chrishenrywang (@Chrishenrywang1) April 12, 2022
Podcast “Insider Intelligence” host Jeremy Goldman snarked, “Warner Bros. cut some Fantastic Beasts 3’s gay dialogue in China. Ah, China, you never cease to not surprise us.”
One person on Twitter named Daniel Camilo was quite upset over the development, “They made the choice to allow the content to be censored in order for the movie to be played in China, and profit from that distribution deal. They could have chosen not to. They decided that it’s worth it to censor gay people. Consider that.”
The movie is produced by @warnerbros. They made the choice to allow the content to be censored in order for the movie to be played in China, and profit from that distribution deal. They could have chosen not to. They decided that it's worth it to censor gay people. Consider that. pic.twitter.com/FxPxM4TTu8
— Daniel Camilo (@DanielOlimac) April 9, 2022
“Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore,” which also stars Ezra Miller, Jessica Williams, Dan Fogler, Katherine Waterston, and Alison Sudol, will premiere in theaters on Friday.
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