Following rumors that both Mark Strong and Mark Rylance were both in contention to play Albus Dumbledore in HBO's Harry Potter series, the trades are reporting that John Lithgow is officially in talks for the role.
Lithgow has appeared in a multitude of film and TV projects over the years, including Dexter, Footloose, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and Interstellar. More recently, he played key roles in Conclave and The Old Man.
Dumbledore was previously played by late Irish acting legends Richard Harris and Michael Gambon, with Jude Law portraying a younger take on the character in the Fantastic Beasts movies.
This seems to be the first "formal offer" that's been made, but a number of other actors are reportedly being eyed for various key roles.
Bad Sisters co-creator/star Sharon Horgan and Constantine and The Mummy alum Rachel Weisz are said to be up for Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall. Ted Lasso and Thor: Love and Thunder actor Brett Goldstein is reportedly in line to play Hagrid, and a more recent rumor claimed that Fleabag and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny star Phoebe Waller-Bridge is up for the role of Petunia Dursley.
HBO is playing this one very close to the vest, and has responded with the same statement for every casting enquiry: “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.”
We do know that the studio is currently searching for newcomers to play the three lead roles of Harry, Ron and Hermione, and has launched an open casting call for kids aged between 9 and 11. WBD is reportedly "hoping to populate the adult cast with some of the U.K.’s best-known actors."
Francesca Gardiner (Succession, His Dark Materials, Killing Eve) is on board as showrunner and executive producer, with Mark Mylod (Succession, Game of Thrones, The Last of Us) enlisted as executive producer and director of multiple episodes.
The show's official logline reads: "The series will be a faithful adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter book series by author and executive producer J.K. Rowling. The series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail and much-loved characters Harry Potter fans have loved for over twenty-five years."
"Each season will bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and cherished films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally."
Warner Bros. TV boss Channing Dungey said earlier this year the series will be “more in-depth than you can in just a two-hour film… that’s the whole reason we’re on this journey.”
The series doesn't have an official premiere date, but should be with us at some point in 2026.