As fans of JK Rowling’s original Harry Potter books will no doubt remember, Dumbledore’s dark side is touched upon briefly in the final novel of The Deathly Hallows, when it is revealed that he, as a teenager, forged a plan to take over the wizarding world and make Muggles subservient “for the greater good”.

“I was gifted,” he told Harry. “I was brilliant. I wanted to escape. I wanted to shine. I wanted glory.”

However, when a three-way duel between himself, his brother Aberforth, and his friend/lover Grindelwald resulted in the death of his sister, Ariana, Dumbledore shunned his plans for magical supremacy. Instead, he chose the path of light and began what would be a long and prosperous career in teaching at Hogwarts.

Or so we always thought.

As it turns out, Rowling believes that Dumbledore is still very much battling with this darker side of himself in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, and finds it incredibly difficult to stay on the correct side of the moral line he’s struggling with.

Addressing this theory around his character, Law has shared some important details around his character’s relationship with Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne).

“This is something Jo Rowling said to me,” said Law, as reported by Cinema Blend. “The reason he loves Newt is that Newt loves beasts and I think he thinks he’s a beast.”

The actor continued: “I think he thinks he’s dark, that he’s seen and done things that he wishes he hadn’t and he’s constantly pulling himself back on the right moral side.”

Jude Law explains Dumbledore’s “dark” love for Newt Scamander in Fantastic Beasts