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Veteran actor John Lithgow, 79, has been cast as Albus Dumbledore in the upcoming Harry Potter series on HBO. He confirmed this exciting news to ScreenRant. Before this, there were reports from The Hollywood Reporter that Lithgow (most recently seen in Conclave's ensemble cast) might get the role.
Dumbledore is the wise and mysterious headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Lithgow's confirmation comes after much speculation about who would play this important character. His involvement in the show adds to the excitement of fans of the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling.
Lithgow shared in an interview with ScreenRant:
“Well, it came as a total surprise to me. I just got the phone call up at the Sundance Film Festival for yet another film, and it was not an easy decision because it’s going to define me for the last chapter of my life.”
Talking about his feelings, he added:
“I’m afraid. But I’m very excited.”
HBO is still working out the details of Lithgow's agreement, but this is the first big casting news we've heard. They plan to start filming in the summer of 2025 and aim to have the Harry Potter series ready by late 2026 or early 2027.
Lithgow will be the third actor to play Dumbledore on screen after Richard Harris and Michael Gambon did it in the Harry Potter movies.
The Harry Potter series begins a new era for Dumbledore as John Lithgow steps into this iconic role
John Lithgow's choice as Dumbledore is quite different from other actors who've played the part. While past Dumbledores were British, Lithgow is American. This breaks the franchise's usual trend of using mostly UK actors in Harry Potter roles.
However, Lithgow's impressive career and awards make him a strong pick for the character. Lithgow is well-known for acting in movies, TV shows, and theater. Some of his top roles are in The Crown, The Old Man, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Conclave. His talent for playing layered characters suggests he'll give a new but still true-to-the-book portrayal of the beloved headmaster.
This casting shows that HBO wants to try new things with the Harry Potter story. The TV show will let us go even further into Dumbledore's past and his relationships with people like Grindelwald and his family. These parts of the story were only briefly mentioned in the original films.
What does Lithgow’s casting possibly mean for HBO's Harry Potter series?
HBO's Harry Potter series based on the Harry Potter books moves ahead with John Lithgow joining the cast. Showrunner Francesca Gardiner and director Mark Mylod are working on it, with Mylod set to work on several episodes.
They plan to create a more thorough and detailed adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s seven books than the earlier movies did.
Fans are now looking forward to hearing about who will play Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. There's a rumor that Paapa Essiedu might be chosen for Severus Snape, which suggests the Harry Potter series show will bring a new spin to the characters.
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The Harry Potter series will be on HBO and available to stream on Max.
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