HBO’s upcoming reboot of Harry Potter finally has at least one confirmed cast member, and he’s going all-in to portray an iconic character. Although the network has remained tight-lipped about the cast of the controversial remake, one name surfaced recently that was reportedly set to join Harry Potter. No stranger to television, the six-time Emmy-winning actor John Lithgow was in talks to play the beloved headmaster of Hogwarts in the new reboot from HBO. Now, Lithgow himself has commented on the news, confirming he’ll be staying at Hogwarts for a long, long time.
During an interview with Screen Rant, Conclave star John Lithgow confirmed he is set to play Dumbledore in HBO’s Harry Potter. Additionally, he talked about the process of choosing to spend a good part of the rest of his professional career and life working on the new adaptation. The HBO series will adapt each book into a full season of television, meaning it will be on air for many years to come. As Lithgow notes, he will be “about 87 years old at the wrap party.” His statement:
“Well, it came as a total surprise to me. 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.”
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Lithgow will join the likes of Michael Gambon, Richard Harris, and Jude Law to have played Albus Dumbledore on the big screen in live-action Harry Potter projects. The actor, who is currently 79 years old, will be attached to the HBO series for the next decade. If the series does in fact adapt a book per season, expect Lithgow to remain in Hogwarts for all seven seasons, which could take more than seven years to make. As of right now, it appears Harry Potter is eyeing a late 2026 or 2027 premiere window on the cable channel. As long as development continues smoothly, of course.
The Confirmed Cast of HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Is Quite Thin
Before John Lithgow accepted the role of Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s Harry Potter reboot, another name was deemed the favorite by Hollywood trade outlets. The Oscar-winning Bridge of Spies star Mark Rylance was apparently HBO’s preferred choice to play the Hogwarts headmaster at some point. However, Lithgow is not only an excellent choice, but another prestigious actor who has a long history on television. Due to the long-term commitment, it seems HBO has been courting TV actors as of late.
While Dumbledore remains the one confirmed casting, Gangs of London star Paapa Essiedu is reportedly set to join the ranks of the wizarding school as Severus Snape, first portrayed by the late Alan Rickman. Other rumors have pointed to Oscar-nominated actress and Ozark star Janet McTeer being set as Professor Minerva McGonagall. When it comes to the main trio — Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley — HBO has still not commented on the worldwide search for the new franchise stars. However, it seems fans should except up-and-coming faces to embody the iconic characters, much like the original cast.
Source: Screen Rant
Harry Potter
Summary
The Harry Potter film series is a British-American film series based on the Harry Potter novels by the British author J. K. Rowling. The series is distributed by Warner Bros. and consists of eight fantasy films beginning with Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001) and culminating with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011). It is the highest-grossing film series of all-time in inflation unadjusted dollars, with $7.7 billion in worldwide receipts. Each film is in the 35 highest-grossing films of all-time in inflation unadjusted dollars.
The series was produced by David Heyman and stars Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson as the three leading characters, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger. Four directors worked on the series: Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell and David Yates.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, the seventh and final novel in the series, is split into two feature-length parts. Part 1 was released in November 2010 and Part 2 was released on 15 July 2011.
