John Lithgow is in final negotiations to play Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s Harry Potter television series.
HBO is currently developing a new Harry Potter television series that comes from writer and showrunner Francesca Gardiner. Mark Mylod is also attached to the show as a director and executive producer.
Per Deadline, Lithgow now appears to be in final negotiations to play Dumbledore in the show.
HBO declined to confirm the news. Rather, the network said 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.”
Lithgow has won six Emmy Awards throughout his career, three of which were for his performance in 3rd Rock from the Sun, while he’s also won for Amazing Stories, Dexter, and The Crown. He’s also been nominated for two Academy Awards for 1982’s The World According to Garp and 1983’s Terms of Endearment.
He is also known for voicing Lord Farquaad in 2001’s Shrek and recently starred as Cardinal Tremblay in 2024’s Conclave. Lithgow’s filmography further includes 1979’s All That Jazz, 1984’s Footloose, 2006’s Dreamgirls, 2011’s Rise of the Planet of the Apes, 2014’s Interstellar, 2016’s The Accountant, 2019’s Pet Sematary, and 2023’s Killers of the Flower Moon, among other titles.
What else do we know about the HBO Harry Potter show?
No other casting for the Harry Potter series has yet been revealed. Specific plot details remain under wraps at this time, though the series is believed to be a “faithful” adaptation of the Harry Potter novels.
Dumbledore was played by Richard Harris in the first two Harry Potter films. Harris passed away in 2002, and Michael Gambon then played him in the six remaining movies. Jude Law, meanwhile, portrayed a younger Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts prequels.
A premiere date for the Harry Potter show has not yet been announced.
