With promotion and marketing ramping up for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, which is set for release in April, there is one question on everyone’s lips – where the heck is Katherine Waterston? Tina Goldstein was a main character, and love interest of Eddie Redmayne’s Newt Scamander, in the first two Fantastic Beasts films. But she has been conspicuously absent from all posters and trailers for the third installment.
There has been some speculation that Waterston might not be returning because she has been publicly outspoken about JK Rowling’s stance on the trans community. The Fantastic Beasts franchise has been subject to several controversies (besides Rowling’s comments) including; the re-casting of Johnny Depp with Mads Mikkelsen, the love story between Dumbledore and Grindelwald being hinted at, but not fully explored, and the fact that the plot now seems to be veering into the wizarding world’s stance on fascism and Nazis, as we approach the Second World War.
None of this has done much to diminish the box office returns of the first two movies, with the first making over $800 million and the second making around $650 million.
According to both IMDb and an “official cast list” which has apparently been seen by The Digital Spy, Waterston is in Fantastic Beasts 3. However, if she were just to appear in flashbacks, this would still be the case. So, it’s still unclear whether Tina Goldstein has an actual role to play in the plot of Fantastic Beasts 3. The last installment saw her sister Queenie (Alison Sudol) going over to the “dark side” and joining Credence (Ezra Miller).
As the name suggests, the third Fantastic Beasts will likely unveil more secrets behind Dumbledore and his family, including brother Aberforth (Richard Coyle), his sister Ariana and brother Aurelius (whose identity was revealed in the last movie).
While we wait to find out whether Waterston does appear in Fantastic Beasts 3, or not, brush up on what we do know so far about Dumbledore.