Credit: Warner Bros. It’s hard to believe, but it’s been nearly 15 years since we last saw Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and the rest of the wizarding world on the big screen in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011). And it’s been nearly 30 years since unknown — and now highly controversial — writer J.K. Rowling first introduced us to The Boy Who Lived in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s (AKA Sorcerer’s) Stone.
At that time, Harry Potter’s story became a huge part of the cultural zeitgeist, and it’s nearly impossible to imagine what life would be like without those seven books and eight movies.
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In 2021, rumors began circulating that HBO Max was working on a new Harry Potter series. It was two years of waiting and hoping before the series was officially confirmed. Now, we don’t know much about the series, but Warner Bros. has shared that it will dive deeper into the book series than the movies did and will run for ten years!
Last year, an open casting call was sent out as Max looks to recast the key roles of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. Of course, they are replacing nearly every actor from the series, but finding its stars was of the utmost importance.
Related: HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ Casting Call: Will Your Child Wear the Sorting Hat?
Well, we don’t yet know who will be playing the three young wizards, but we have learned that one beloved actor is in final talks to play the iconic role of Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry.
According to a report from Deadline, 3rd Rock From the Sun star John Lithgow is in final talks to play Dumbledore.
A beloved actor is poised to play a beloved Harry Potter character. Six-time Emmy winner John Lithgow is in final negotiations to portray Professor Albus Dumbledore in HBO‘s high-profile series adaptation of the hugely popular fantasy books, sources tell Deadline.
HBO declined to comment. “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation,” the network said in a statement. “As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.”
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In the past, Dumbledore was played by Richard Harris — who passed away in between films — and Michael Gambon, both British actors. Lithgow is an American actor, but he has played British characters in the past. Most recently, he played Winston Churchill in the hit Netflix show, The Crown, a role he won an Emmy for.
Originally, rumors had been swirling that Bridge of Spies (2015) star Mark Rylance was in talks to play the beloved headmaster.
The new series is expected to premiere sometime in late 2026, or possibly early 2027.
Inside The Magic will keep readers updated as more details about the new Harry Potter series are released.
Are you excited to see John Lithgow play Dumbledore? Or would you have liked to see a different actor in the role? Who else would you like to see in the series? Share your thoughts in the comments!