HBO is currently casting a TV show based on the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling, with the intention of adapting them in more detail than the popular movies did. Do I really have to tell you what the Harry Potter books are about? There's a kid named Harry. He lives in a cupboard under the stairs in the home of his abusive aunt and uncle. He learns he's a wizard and is whisked away to learn his craft at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he learns about magic, love and friendship.
The Harry Potter movies starred Daniel Radcliffe as Harry and Emma Watson and Rupert Grint as Harry's friends Hermione and Ron. We've heard that HBO has found a new trio of kids to play these roles, but we don't know their names yet. But we have heard plenty about the adult characters. The latest news comes from Deadline, which reports that John Lithgow is in "final negotiations" to play Professor Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster at Hogwarts.
Dumbledore is a hugely important role, so this is big news. He was played by Richard Harris in the first two Harry Potter movies before getting replaced by Michael Gambon after Harris died. At one point, word was that English actor Mark Rylance was close to playing Dumbledore in the new show, but I guess that didn't work out.
The Harry Potter movies were known for featuring a parade of fantastic British acting talent, from Alan Rickman to Maggie Smith to Emma Thompson. The "British-only" rule was so strict that the producers even turned away a huge name like Robin Williams, who lobbied for a part. But apparently the show doesn't have that rule, because John Lithgow is definitely an American actor.
He's not just any American actor, mind you; everyone has their favorite John Lithgow performance. Maybe he terrified you as the Trinity Killer on Dexter. Maybe you remember him from his run as Dick Solomon in the sitcom 3rd Rock From The Sun. Right now he's starring in the religious drama Conclave, which is up for Best Picture at the Oscars. The guy is definitely good enough to pull off a role like Dumbledore.
But I'm still a little surprised to hear that they're casting Americans at all! And if an American can play a role as important as Dumbledore, no part is off limits.
Actually, Lithgow has a history of playing British icons; he won an Emmy for playing Prime Minister Winston Chuchill in The Crown. So of all the Americans you could have cast in the Harry Potter show, he might make the most sense. Still, it feels like the end of an era somehow.
It's possible that Lithgow won't even get the role, but it sounds like he's pretty close. More casting news will probably follow. As for the show itself, expect it to premiere out in late 2026 at the very earliest, and quite possibly 2027.
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