John Lithgow to Play Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s Harry Potter Series

John Lithgow is reportedly joining HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series as Albus Dumbledore. The news was initially reported by Deadline, revealing Lithgow’s casting as the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the TV adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter novels.

Lithgow shared his surprise and excitement in an interview with Screen Rant. “Well, it came as a total surprise to me,” he said. “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.”

Dumbledore in Harry Potter

Albus Dumbledore is a central figure in the Harry Potter series, known for his wisdom, power, and guidance to Harry Potter throughout his journey. In the original film series, Dumbledore was portrayed by Richard Harris in the first two films before his passing. Michael Gambon then took over the role for the remaining films. Additionally, Jude Law played a younger version of Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts prequel series.

Production Details

The Harry Potter TV series is slated to debut on HBO in late 2026 or early 2027. Filming will take place at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, where the original movies were filmed. The series is planned to run for a decade, with Francesca Gardiner serving as writer and showrunner, and Mark Mylod as director and executive producer.

Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO and Max Content, described the show as a “faithful adaptation” of J.K. Rowling’s novels, promising to “dive deep into each of the iconic books.”

It’s worth noting that almost two years after the initial announcement of the series, John Lithgow is the first actor to be confirmed. According to Lithgow’s estimates, production might begin within the year, considering his current age (79) and his comment about being 87 at the wrap party, assuming a season per year. However, no other casting announcements have been made, especially concerning the main trio of characters.

Neither HBO nor Max has officially confirmed Lithgow’s casting as of yet.