‘Fantastic Beasts 2’ Director Confirms Dumbledore’s Appearance; 4 Actors Who Could Play The Young Wizard

Director David Yates has been promoting the upcoming release of “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” and he is already dropping spoilers for the second film. He revealed that “Harry Potter” fans will find one character very familiar.

“In the second movie Dumbledore comes back. He’s got a couple of good scenes with Newt,” Yates told ScreenRant.

Fans knew that this was a possibility. “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” takes place in the Wizarding World, about 70 years before Harry Potter went to Hogwarts. Still, a few people Harry knew, like Dumbledore, had histories that went back to the 1920s.

One of the trailers for “Fantastic Beasts” revealed someone talking to Newt (Eddie Redmayne) about how much Dumbledore loved him. However, he isn’t running Hogwarts yet. He’s simply a teacher. It seems he will only be mentioned, not shown, in the first film.

“We’re discussing who would play Dumbledore, any suggestions would be good,” Yates laughed.

Any actor playing Dumbledore will need to be able to convey kindness and have comedic skills. As a Gryffindor, the wizard is courageous and brave, but he isn’t the Dumbledore that Harry Potter meets yet. Born in 1881, Dumbledore would only be in his 40s if “Fantastic Beasts 2” remains set in the 1920s. He doesn’t need to be so wise, but he’s definitely clever. So who can get the job done?

Richard Armitage: The actor is known for his role as the dwarf Thorin in the “Hobbit” films, but he seems like he could just as easily play one of the greatest wizards in history. With over 20 years of experience and training from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), Armitage could definitely pull off the many intricacies of Albus Dumbledore.

Paul Bettany: Many audiences have seen his dramatic skills in “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” where he plays Vision, and he has gotten to show off his comedic timing in other flicks like “A Knight’s Tale” and “Mortdecai.” We just need to see how well he can handle spells and potions.

Michael Fassbender: We know Fassbender is a good actor after seeing flicks like “Steve Jobs,” “Macbeth” and the latest “X-Men” trilogy, but he might be difficult to schedule. He is in “Assassin’s Creed,” which is set to be the launch of a new franchise.

Matthew Goode: If “Fantastic Beasts” wants to avoid actors who have been in other franchises, Mattew Goode might be a great choice. He has shown off his dramatic acting skills on “The Good Wife,” “Downton Abbey” and the Oscar-winning film “The Imitation Game.”

The actor chosen to play Dumbledore may be working opposite Johnny Depp. The “Pirates of the Carribean” actor has been cast in the sequel, and it’s rumored that he’ll play Gellert Grindelwald, a wizard who has a long history with Dumbledore.

Whoever signs on to play Dumbledore will need to keep their schedule open. The series of J.K. Rowling-penned movies has been extended to five films.

“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” will hit theaters on Nov. 18 and the sequel is slated for 2018.