China Shields Moviegoers From a Gay Dumbledore

Viewers in China watching Fantastic Beasts 3 will see a slightly different film than everyone else. Warner Bros. agreed to cut six seconds of dialogue, reports Variety. Though just a tiny fraction of the two-hour-plus film, those six seconds are notable: They refer to a previous homosexual relationship between Dumbledore (Jude Law) and Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen). Chinese viewers will not hear the lines "because I was in love with you" and "the summer Gellert and I fell in love," per the Guardian.

Despite the cuts, the studio says "the spirit of the film remains intact." While "we’re committed to safeguarding the integrity of every film we release ... historically we have faced small edits made in local markets," the statement adds. Harry Potter author JK Rowling revealed years ago that Dumbledore was gay, but the lines in the film mark the first time his homosexuality has been acknowledged in any of the franchise films, notes the Hollywood Reporter. (The ending of Fight Club was changed in China, at least temporarily.)