Yahoo Lifestyle Harry Potter: John Lithgow Nearing Deal to Play Albus Dumbledore in HBO Series (Report)
That’s Headmaster Lithgow to the rest of us.
Emmy winner John Lithgow (3rd Rock From the Sun) is close to a deal that will have him fill the role of Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s forthcoming Harry Potter series, our sister site Deadline reports.
More from TVLine
Arnold Schwarzenegger Hilariously Reacts to His Son Patrick's Nude Scene in The White Lotus
Ben Stiller to Star in Music Industry Dramedy The Band at HBO
House of the Dragon Season 3 Casts James Norton as Ormund Hightower
“We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation,” HBO said in a statement. “As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.” TVLine has reached out to Lithgow’s team for comment.
In addition to overseeing the students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Dumbledore is also a powerful sorcerer, widely considered to be the greatest wizard ever. Lithgow — who’s best known to TV fans for starring in NBC’s 3rd Rock From the Sun — will inherit the role from Michael Gambon, who played Dumbledore in six of the eight Harry Potter films. Richard Harris originally played the character in the Sorcerer’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets movies, but passed away in 2002, leading Gambon to take over.
Though it’s not yet clear how many seasons HBO’s Harry Potter series will span, the project is described as a “faithful adaptation” of J.K. Rowling’s popular novels that will “dive deep into each of the iconic books.” Francesca Gardiner (His Dark Materials) serves as writer, executive producer and showrunner, while Mark Mylod (Succession, Game of Thrones) will direct multiple episodes and exec-produce. Rowling is also on board as an EP.
HBO has yet to announce who will play the central trio of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, but a casting call was opened in September that sought U.K.- or Ireland-based children who would be 9 to 11 years old in April 2025. The casting call also stated that HBO was “committed to inclusive, diverse casting.”
In addition to 3rd Rock, Lithgow’s extensive TV resumé includes work on The Old Man, Perry Mason, The Crown, Trial & Error, Dexter and How I Met Your Mother.
Production on the Harry Potter series will begin in Summer 2025, though a premiere timetable is still to be determined. Is Lithgow the Dumbledore you envisioned? Tell us below.
Harry Potter TV Series: Everything We Know
Best of TVLine
Sign up for TVLine's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
