John Lithgow has played everything from Don Quixote in Man of La Mancha to an extraterrestrial patriarch in 3rd Rock from the Sun. Next he will be the powerful, wise, and compassionate professor Dumbledore in HBO’s Harry Potter TV show. He confirmed the casting in a recent interview, saying it will “define me for the last chapter of my life.”
Rumors have been swirling about who would take on the role of the Hogwarts headmaster in HBO’s retelling of the YA wizarding series following the popular Warner Bros. film adaptations in the 2000s. In those, Albus Dumbledore was played first by Richard Harris and later by Michael Gambon, both of whom have since passed away. A younger version of the character has also been played by Jude Law in the Fantastic Beasts prequels.
Now Lithgow will take the reins and give the stoic but compassionate magical genius his own spin, he confirmed to ScreenRant this week. “Well, it came as a total surprise to me,” he said in an interview. “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.”
HBO’s Harry Potter show hasn’t begun filming yet and isn’t expected to debut until late 2026 at the earliest. Francesca Gardiner, a writer on His Dark Materials and Succession, is signed on as showrunner, and a casting call to scout young actors to play Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and the rest of the students went out last fall. The show will have other big roles to fill as well, including the half-giant flunkout Hagrid and Potter’s Slytherin rival Draco Malfoy.
Author J.K. Rowling, frequently criticized for her transphobic views, remains a consulting producer on the show and continues to profit off of all things Potter. “We are proud to once again tell the story of Harry Potter—the heartwarming books that speak to the power of friendship, resolve and acceptance,” Warner Bros. said in a statement last November. “JK Rowling has a right to express her personal views. We will remain focused on the development of the new series, which will only benefit from her involvement.”
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