The Harry Potter television series has officially found its headmaster of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
John Lithgow, 79, recently confirmed to ScreenRant that he said “yes” to playing Albus Dumbledore in HBO‘s upcoming small screen adaptation of J. K. Rowling’s hit books. The Hollywood Reporter reported earlier this month that Lithgow was in talks for the role.
“Well, it came as a total surprise to me,” the veteran actor said. “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, I’m afraid. But I’m very excited. Some wonderful people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter. That’s why it’s been such a hard decision. I’ll be about 87 years old at the wrap party, but I’ve said yes.”
Lithgow follows in the footsteps of other actors who portrayed Dumbledore in the blockbuster films, including Richard Harris, who played the character in the first two movies, and Michael Gambon (who died in 2023), who took over the role after Harris died in 2002.
In a career that has spanned decades and dozens of acting credits, as well as Emmy wins and Oscar nominations, Lithgow’s most recent projects included Conclave, The Crown, The Old Man and Jimpa.
The Harry Potter series, which is set to begin filming this summer, is described as a “more in-depth” adaptation of Rowling’s seven-book series compared to the film franchise. The book series follows an orphan boy, Harry Potter, who discovers he is a wizard and attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It’s there that he learns to control his magical abilities and defeats the evil Lord Voldemort. Francesca Gardiner is serving as the showrunner for the series, with Mark Mylod set to direct multiple episodes.
THR has since learned that Lithgow’s deal to play Dumbledore hasn’t closed yet. Though HBO couldn’t confirm the actor’s casting, it shared in a statement, “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation. As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.”
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