Harry Potter fans really want Jared Harris to play young Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts
They think The Crown's King George VI is the natural heir to the Hogwarts headmaster role
From the minute Johnny Depp’s casting as Fantastic Beasts’ Grindelwald was announced, the internet was gagging to find out whether or not the troublesome wizard would meet his old pal Albus Dumbledore on screen.
And now that Harry Potter director David Yates and producer David Heyman have confirmed that the young Dumbledore will make his debut in the second film, everyone really really really wants The Crown and Mad Men star Jared Harris to play him.
Why? Because his dad was the original Dumbledore. Richard Harris portrayed the Hogwarts headmaster and all-round magical BOSS in Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
Michael Gambon took over the role after Harris passed away in 2002. Some have suggested that Gambon could play a young version of Dumbledore with the help of a little technical wizardry, but Yates and Heyman have ruled that out.
So, who else do you turn to to play a great wizard? Well, with a Dad like Richard Harris and a proud acting career of his own, perhaps Jared Harris might just have it in him?
Fans were instantly on board with the idea and got very vocal about it on Twitter.
@FantasticBeasts @jk_rowling looking for a young Albus Dumbledore? Jared Harris would be amazing.
Even younger? Think about Ed Norton! pic.twitter.com/Fgd634R6Fb
— Josephine (@jbuchard221b) November 9, 2016
And y’know what? We completely agree with them.
From Mad Men’s Lane Pryce to The Crown’s King George VI, Harris has proven he’s got what it takes to put on quite the show. He’s got that magical Dumbledore twinkle in his eye and, perhaps most conveniently, bears a striking resemblance to his Dad.
Plus he really knows how to rock a set of robes, as he proved while playing Professor Moriarty in Sherlock Holmes opposite Robert Downey Jr.
Even director David Yates sounded quite positive about the idea when he spoke to WENN.
“We’re discussing who will play Dumbledore. We’ve been talking about Jared Harris, who is a fantastic actor. We need a younger Dumbledore”, he said.
Please tell us someone has put his name in the casting Goblet of Fire?
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them opens in UK cinemas on 18th November
