Gandalf v. Dumbledore Trailer!

               After Comic-Con everyone seems to be talking about the Batman v. Superman trailer. And while it’s a fine trailer and certainly offers a lot to talk about, I can’t believe nobody’s bringing up the other great clash of magic partially-insane heroes, and that trailer which was also released. I am of course talking about Gandalf v. Dumbledore!

                It’s the match we’ve all been waiting for! The two most powerful wizards in novels turned films are going to go up against each other and finally…finally we have a trailer! It started on such a strong note: a shot of Dumbledore’s wand in a glass case followed by one of Gandalf’s staff hitting the ground in that famed Balrog battle. Then we get the voiceover narration from Jeremy Irons explaining the set-up. Dumbledore having nothing to do after bringing Harry back to life rather than sit around that train station, went exploring. Eventually he reached a body of water where he came into contact with the ship that left the Grey Havens. Gandalf believes he may be Saruman or some sorcerer in disguise while Dumbledore believes himself to be in some wizard purgatory. There’s some comic relief dialogue where they compare the lengths of their beards in a suggestive way. Then we see that at some point the ship reaches land. Galadriel looks into Dumbledore’s mind and we see footage from the Harry Potter series. She shares her insight with Gandalf through a small portable equivalent of her mirror. Gandalf notes that Dumbledore appeared as a different person in a couple of the older visions leading him to confirm the Headmaster of Hogwarts is indeed Saruman in disguise having escaped Isengard and has been poisoning the minds of children who believe they can become wizards. He confronts Dumbledore with this information but Dumbledore denies it believing this to be some kind of test. He tells Gandalf he ran a school for young wizards and witches but Gandalf stresses that mortals cannot be wizards. Incensed due to his pride in his students, Dumbledore rebukes Gandalf demanding to know where he is. There’s also a joke about why three on their ship have had cosmetic ear surgery. This leads to a two-way interrogation that we don’t see a whole lot of, but we know ends with Gandalf confessing his immortality and Dumbledore asking “prove it.” Epic music plays and we see a montage of images like Gandalf wandering confused and bruised across a desert, Dumbledore having ‘nam flashbacks of Snape killing him, lightning striking the ship, narration about what makes a hero from an unseen cynical villain, a shot of fetus Voldemort standing up smiling, the Wizard of Oz getting caught up in the fracas, more Jesus imagery for both combatants, and then finally quick-cut shots of both characters with the voiceover: “Each ended a war…to start their own!” Dumbledore’s wand shoots a green beam, Gandalf’s staff a white light which flashes out the scene. Finally we see them staring at each other across a chasm. Dumbledore epically takes his glasses off. Shit just got real! They charge at each other, we get another flash, and the title card: GANDALF V. DUMBLEDORE: MIGHT OF MAGIC! But it’s not over yet as we get a glimpse of the two wizards pausing in their battle as they hear a roar. “What was that?” shouts Dumbledore. Gandalf replies “that…was a lion!”

                Describing this trailer isn’t enough, it must be seen to be believed! It certainly has me hyped, much more so than the Batman v. Superman trailer does or anything else at Comic-Con. Hell I’ll say it! This even beats Star Wars: The Force Awakens! Hopefully it’ll be put online soon along with the trailers for Suicide Squad and The Hateful Eight. Having the whole cast and director Alexander Payne come out for a Q&A was just icing on the cake! This is gonna be big; people have been split over this mash-up for ages. I can’t wait to go see it when it hits theatres sometime next year and find out who will win!

It’ll be Gandalf. We all know it’ll be Gandalf.