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After years of tiptoeing around it, the Fantastic Beasts franchise finally put it out there, plain and simple. It revealed how Albus Dumbledore, the sharpest mind at Hogwarts and the calmest wand in the room, once had more than just a strategic connection with dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald. And this time, it was not buried in subtext or left for fans to decode. It was right there in the movie.
From the very first scene of 2022’s Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, the truth came out like a spell waiting too long to be cast. Dumbledore opened up during a quiet meeting with Grindelwald. What was once just a rumor between book lines was now part of the actual storyline. And it wasn’t just a vague nod. It was personal. That one conversation spelled out a truth many had long suspected, and the franchise had never really confirmed it out loud.
Years ago, J.K. Rowling had already waved the wand on Dumbledore’s sexuality. As Metro UK shared, at a live event in New York City in 2007, she told fans that she “always saw Dumbledore as gay.” It created a stir, sure. But the thing was, it never made its way into the movies—not the main series, not even the early Fantastic Beasts films. It stayed backstage, in interviews and headlines. But with Secrets of Dumbledore, it stepped into the spotlight.
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New ‘Fantastic Beasts: Secrets Of Dumbledore’ preview confirms romance between Dumbledore and Grindelwald. pic.twitter.com/fLlVOvOdUE
— Pop Base (@PopBase) March 17, 2022
Let’s rewind for a second. The original Harry Potter films gave us Dumbledore as the wise, powerful, secret-keeping headmaster. Of course, mysterious too. However, the script kept things zipped when it came to his love life. Fast forward to Fantastic Beasts, and we start peeling back the layers. It doesn’t just hint at his past with Grindelwald; it puts the cards on the table.
The two were once thick as thieves. Their bond ran deeper. But the road split, and while Grindelwald chased power, Dumbledore pulled away. The emotional fallout from that break? It now makes a lot more sense.
Jude Law as Albus Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts: literally a perfect casting. 🤗
® Fantastic Beasts | #FantasticBeasts pic.twitter.com/GIBPa0UBE9
— Harry Potter News (@HPMoviesNews) June 29, 2025
What The Secrets of Dumbledore did differently is that it showed what drove the hesitation, guilt, and weight Dumbledore’s been carrying. That old flame turned into a burning conflict. The story was no longer just hero vs. villain. It was former partners standing on opposite cliffs, battling more than just magic—until now. With this chapter, the franchise filled in blanks that fans have circled for over a decade.
Albus Dumbledore was gay and he had fallen in love with Gellert Grindelwald, which was Dumbledore’s great tragedy. pic.twitter.com/RUTQhE2QNZ
— Harry Potter Stuff ⚯͛ (@TheHPfacts) April 29, 2018
For more such stories, check out Hollywood News
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