China censors same-sex love references in 'Fantastic Beasts 3'

Disclaimer: The following story contains spoilers

China has decided to censor references to same-sex romance in the latestFantastic Beastsfilm, The Secrets of Dumbledore.

The film on April 8, a full week ahead of the US' April 15 release.

Generally, the release dates for films in the country are later than Western countries to allow for extensive editing and censorship. However, this immediate release of The Secrets of Dumbledore didn't come without some control methods.

Warner Bros. confirmed that just six seconds had been cut out to allow the film's release in China, pertaining to lines in the dialogue which indicated same-sex romance.

The lines are between the lead characters Albus Dumbledore (played by Jude Law) and Gellert Grindelwald (played by Mads Mikkelsen) and include comments like "because I was in love with you" and "the summer Gellert and I fell in love."

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Although these particular lines have been removed for Chinese audiences, the rest of the film remains the same and continues to highlight a close relationship between the two characters.

In a statement released to news.com.au, Warner Bros said that they are "committed" to the integrity of their films.

"As a studio, we're committed to safeguarding the integrity of every film we release, and that extends to circumstances that necessitate making nuanced cuts in order to respond sensitively to a variety of in-market factors," the entertainment company told the outlet.

They continued: "We want audiences everywhere in the world to see and enjoy this film, and it's important to us that Chinese audiences have the opportunity to experience it as well, even with these minor edits."

According to Business Insider, an official quota notes that China can publicly screen 34 foreign films a year. The filmmakers are also encouraged to take on the editing requests to allow their films to make the cut.

In 2007, Harry Potter author JK Rowling said Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore was gay, although the character wasn't explicitly gay in the collection.

Dumbledore's sexuality was hinted at in the first two Fantastic Beasts films, the first being released in 2016. However, it wasn't until the release of The Secrets of Dumbledore that it was brought to life onscreen.

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