Warner Bros’ Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets Of Dumbledore, which released in China this past weekend, did so without references to the same-sex relationship between two of the threequel’s lead characters.
The Chinese censors requested a cut, which Warner Bros, according to a studio spokesperson, “accepted… to comply with local requirements,” adding, “the spirit of the film remains intact.” (See the full statement below.)The six seconds that were excised refer to a past romantic relationship between Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore and dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald.
Two lines were removed: “Because I was in love with you” and “the summer Gellert and I fell in love.” The first is a line of dialogue and the second a voiceover.This is not the first time that China has balked at the subject matter.
The market overall doesn’t allow references to homosexuality on screen, and previously removed all mentions of it in Bohemian Rhapsody, for example.