New York — Jude Law will play young Albus Dumbledore in the next Fantastic Beasts instalment.
Warner Bros. announced the casting on Tuesday. The iconic wizard was played by two actors in the Harry Potter films, beginning with Richard Harris. After his death in 2002, Michael Gambon inherited the role.
J.K. Rowling, who has said Dumbledore is gay, has previously teased that the five-part prequel franchise of Fantastic Beasts will explore a more "troubled" time in Dumbledore's life. The author said, "We'll see him at that formative period of his life. As far as his sexuality is concerned, watch this space."
Production on the next Fantastic Beasts film is to begin this summer, with a release scheduled for November 2018. Last year's Fantastic Beasts grossed $813m worldwide.