Most of the characters who come into theFantastic Beastsuniverse will be new, but one who will need no introduction is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. We’ve seen him as the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and a mentor to a young Harry Potter. However, the story of young Dumbledore is as fascinating as Harry’s, and it was glimpsed in snippets fromJ.K. Rowling’s books. One of his most notable accomplishments was defeating Gellert Grindelwald in 1945.
Fantastic Beastsstarts its story in 1926, and Dumbledore is mentioned in passing. However, the production isnow in the process of casting young Dumbledore, and it’s likely he will be a major character in the upcoming films, giving us a glimpse into the kindly wizard who would one day go on to guide The Boy Who Lived.
With this in mind, we have a few suggestions on who could play the beloved Hogwarts professor. Before we launch into our suggestions, it’s worth noting that it’s difficult to know how old the production will want Dumbledore to be in the movies. Although in an interview, Rowling said that Dumbledore lived to be 150,on her official websiteshe said he lived to the age of 115 or 116. He was born in 1881, so he would be in his late 40s ifFantastic Beasts 2picks up a few years after the first movie. Additionally, in the books, Dumbledore had a relationship with Grindelwald, and Depp is in his early 50s. So it’s safe to assume that they’ll want an actor in his late 40s, early 50s to play Dumbledore.
Ewan McGregor
McGregor feels kind of perfect for this role. He can easily convey the kindness and warmth the character is known for, and he’s in the right age range (McGregor is 45, but I’d buy him as slightly older with just a little bit of makeup). He’s a talented actor with loads of experience, and it could be an interesting challenge to play a character with so much baggage and yet he would have a voice in helping to determine his younger days. While this may seem like a rehash of him doing Obi-Wan Kenobi again, it’s worth remembering that Obi-Wan was more of a generic mentor figure and that theStar Warsprequels suck (not because of him, but because they’re poorly written and directed).Fantastic Beastswould offer a much better opportunity, especially given Dumbledore’s importance inHarry Potterlore. -Matt Goldberg
Matt Smith
TheDoctor Whostar is on the verge of breaking out big. He had a nice supporting role inPride and Prejudice and Zombiesand he’s got an important supporting part in Netflix’sThe Crown. He’s got the right look for Dumbledore, and while he’s much younger than where Dumbledore would be in his life in the late-20s, it’s something that fans will overlook if the performance is right. It’s possible that producers will want someone who’s star-power can match Depp’s, but if they’re looking for an up-and-comer who has a devoted fan-following, then Smith definitely fits the bill. -Matt Goldberg
Jared Harris
While he’s a little older than Dumbledore would be,Jared Harrisis in the unique position of being the son of an actor who played Dumbledore. Jared Harris’ father isRichard Harris, who played Dumbledore in the first twoHarry Pottermovies before passing away in 2002. Jared Harris is a talented actor in his own right having earned an Emmy nomination for his work as Lane Pryce onMad Menand turning in a collection of other terrific performances in a career that has spanned decades. I don’t know if Jared Harris would want to be in the shadow of his father’s performance, but it would provide a nice bit of continuity (especially sinceMichael Gambon’s take on the character was so radically different when he took over the role starting withPrisoner of Azkaban). -Matt Goldberg
Mark Rylance
Like Harris, this would be a slightly older Dumbledore, but not that much older (Depp is 53, Rylance is 56), and it’s a small tradeoff when you consider that Rylance is such a good actor. Also, when you think of his quiet warmth inBridge of Spiesor his delightful weirdness inThe BFG, he could be perfect as Dumbledore. If Hollywood tried to make theHarry Potterfilms today, if you stuck a long, white beard on the guy, fans would probably be begging to have him cast in the role. -Matt Goldberg
You probably knowIain Glenas the world-weary Jorah Mormont on Game of Thrones or from the host of dickish characters he’s played over the years, but the Irish star is an accomplished film and theater actor with impressive range. On a superficial level, Glen is a dead ringer for Dumbledore; pale, ginger, and handsome, and he’s charming to boot. He’s also just about the perfect age to match Johnny Depp’s Grindelwald. Glen might be a bit of a long shot since he lacks the star power to match Depp, but the Harry Potter films have always sought out exceptionally well-matched actors for their characters and, on all counts, Glen is an ideal Dumbledore candidate. -Haleigh Foutch
The thing about Dumbledore that you quickly realize once you grow up is that he was never quite the shining hero Harry (and the readers) first believed him to be. Don’t get me wrong, he was a great wizard who did great things, but he also had a dark streak in his youth and some questionable morals in how he handled Harry’s destiny. That darkness will no doubt play into theFantastic Beastsfilms, given the Grindelwald connection andJude Lawis the kind of actor that can embody Dumbledore’s less desirable qualities along with the headmaster’s iconic charm and twinkling eyes – and he’s a bonafide movie star who can go toe-to-toe with Johnny Depp. -Haleigh Foutch
Richard Armitage
Richard Armitageis no stranger to fantasy and nerd culture, cementing his fandom status withHannibaland theHobbitfilms, and he’d be a natural fit into theHarry Potteruniverse. He certainly doesn’t have Dumbledore’s signature look, but movie magic (and an excellent beard) can take care of that, and the great thing about Armitage is how seamlessly he blends into any role. But most importantly, he’s got the essential charm and charisma to embody Hogwarts' beloved head master and the dramatic chops to explore his complexities. -Haleigh Foutch
