Whispers have been travelling that actor John Lithgow may helm the beloved Professor Dumbledore in the upcoming Harry Potter series. According to Deadline, streaming platform HBO is in final negotiations to take the actor onboard the project.
Though the studio has not confirmed the news, they said in a statement to the publication, “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumour and speculation. As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.”
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Lithgow has been featured in over sixty films like Footloose, Shrek, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Interstellar, Daddy’s Home 2, and Killers of the Flower Moon. More recently, the actor starred in Edward Berger’s 2024 film Conclave which is nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture at this year’s Oscars.
Moving to the small screen, the actor has appeared in Dexter, How I Met Your Mother, The Crown, and The Old Man. Lithgow is a recipient of two Tony Awards, six Emmy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. The 79-year-old has also secured two Academy Awards and four Grammy Awards nominations.
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If Lithgow bags the role of Professor Dumbledore, he will be the first American to portray the wise wizard. Previously, the beloved Hogwarts headmaster was played by British and Irish actors – the late Richard Harris and Michael Gambon in the hit Harry Potter film franchise, and Jude Law as young Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beast films. Author of the beloved series J.K. Rowling had earlier laid down a strict rule that all the characters from her book should be played by British actors to avoid American dominance, but it seems that the writer may give leeway.
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The Harry Potter series was announced in April 2023, drawing both excitement and flak among admirers of children’s fantasy books. The show plans to span a decade, each season covering each of the seven books. Though no official cast has been announced yet, the series is expected to release in late 2026 or early 2027.