John Lithgow in Talks to Play Dumbledore in ‘Harry Potter’ TV Show

HBO‘s highly anticipated Harry Potter series may have found its Hogwarts headmaster. Per Deadline, six-time Emmy winner John Lithgow is in final negotiations to portray Professor Albus Dumbledore in the network’s ambitious adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s beloved fantasy novels, a role previously played by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon in the film franchise.

While HBO has declined to comment directly on the casting, they acknowledged the speculation surrounding the high-profile project. “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation,” the network stated. “As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.”

The series, which is designed to run for ten consecutive years, comes from Succession veterans Francesca Gardiner as showrunner and Mark Mylod as director. Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, has promised a “faithful adaptation” that will “dive deep into each of the iconic books that fans have continued to enjoy for all of these years.”

Though Lithgow would be the first American to take on the role of Dumbledore, the actor has demonstrated his ability to embody British characters, most notably winning an Emmy for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in The Crown. He currently stars in Oscar contender Conclave and recently completed a sold-out run playing Roald Dahl in Giant at London’s Royal Court Theatre.

The casting process has generated intense speculation, with rumors circulating about potential stars for other iconic roles. Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You) is reportedly in discussions to play Potions Master Snape, while Sharon Horgan and Brett Goldstein have been mentioned for the roles of Professor McGonagall and Hagrid, respectively. Cillian Murphy has even been suggested for Lord Voldemort, with previous Voldemort actor Ralph Fiennes backing the idea.

The production has already attracted significant interest from young talent, with a staggering 32,000 children submitting audition tapes for the lead roles of Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Warner Bros. Television Group chairman and CEO emphasized the series’ potential, noting that “as somebody who is a huge fan of books, the opportunity to get to explore them in maybe a little bit more in-depth than you can in just a two-hour film, that’s the whole reason we’re on this journey.”

The creative team continues to expand, with Poor Things Oscar-winning costume designer Holly Waddington joining the production and Killing Eve writer Laura Neal entering the writers’ room. The series, which will begin filming in summer 2025 at Warner Bros Studios Leavesden – where the original movies were shot – is scheduled to premiere in late 2026 or early 2027.

Original Harry Potter film director Chris Columbus has endorsed the television adaptation, calling it a “spectacular idea.” The series will also potentially reunite with Framestore, the British VFX company that helped bring the magical world to life in the original films.