Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald producer David Heyman reveals why Jude Law is the perfect actor to portray young Albus Dumbledore. Despite being connected to the wildly successful Harry Potter universe, the first film in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them franchise featured a whole host of new characters that weren’t guaranteed to resonate with fans of J.K. Rowling’s previous fictional creations. A key component to the warm reception for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was Eddie Redmayne’s endearing and engaging portrayal of the shy, eccentric magizoologist Newt Scamander.

Fans will be excited to see Scamander return for the sequel, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, along with other first film alums Tina (Katherine Waterston), Queenie (Alison Sudol), and Jacob (Dan Fogler). The success of the new movie, however, could largely rest on the shoulders of Jude Law, who is taking on the formidable role of a young Albus Dumbledore.

Law has an impressive resume that spans a wide variety of genres, but Fantastic Beasts 2 executive producer David Heyman has plenty to say to anyone who might be skeptical about the actor’s portrayal of such a beloved character. In an interview with EW, Heyman elaborates on why Law is a perfect match for the older Dumbledore we’ve already seen on screen.

“He’s got authority, he’s got a twinkle in his eye, he’s sometimes a bit elliptical. So you have that but also have this youthful energy and jubilance. So he brings that twinkle, mischief, authority, and power, but at the same time brings far more youthful energy to the film. You understand why he would be your favorite teacher and be someone you believe is an extraordinary wizard.”

In the Fantastic Beasts sequel cast photo released by Warner Bros. Pictures, which you can see at the top of this article, Law’s Dumbledore has a comfortably confident air about him, leaning casually despite his readiness with the wand. Law has never had any trouble being charming on screen, and looks quite at home in that long, blue velvet coat. It should be fun to see an even livelier version of the quirky yet wise wizard we know from the original Harry Potter films.

Law is definitely taking the challenge of the role seriously, and was reportedly intent on discussing all aspects of the character with Rowling before filming began. As Heyman noted above, a crucial part of the characterization is displaying Dumbledore’s more intimidating and powerful magical side, and Law’s experience with intense drama should translate well to adding that edge to the more whimsical aspects of the character. It will also be interesting to see how Law’s Dumbledore and Johnny Depp’s evil Grindelwald play off each other, as much of the film will involve the characters’ complicated relationship that began in friendship and will end in battle.

Next: Grindelwald’s Greatest Crime Is Resurrecting Johnny Depp’s Career

Source: EW

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