Movies

Did John Lithgow blow his ‘Harry Potter’ cover? Actor confirms he will play key role in HBO reboot

BBG News

I’ve picked up that John Lithgow has disclosed details regarding his part in HBO’s forthcoming “Harry Potter” production.

This week, an actor known for his Oscar-nominated role in “Terms of Endearment” announced that he will be stepping into the enchanted corridors of Hogwarts and taking on a significant part in the television remake. Mark Lithgow, who is 79 years old, shared with Screen Rant during an interview released on Tuesday that he will portray Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of Hogwarts. To Lithgow, this casting was completely unexpected.

I’m absolutely thrilled, I can’t help but share! It seems that ‘Harry Potter’ is once again captivating the hearts of some remarkable individuals. Making this choice has proven quite challenging for me.

He added: “I’ll be about 87 years old at the wrap party, but I’ve said yes.”

Hollywood Inc.

Warner Bros. Discovery has officially announced they’ve struck a deal with author J.K. Rowling for the development of the much-awaited television series set to stream on their platform, Max.

Almost a week following Deadline’s announcement of final negotiations, John Lithgow himself confirmed that he would be stepping into the iconic role of the powerful wizard and professor on his own accord. This role was famously played by the late actors Richard Harris and Michael Gambon, with Gambon assuming it after Harris passed away in 2002, and tragically, Gambon himself died in September 2023.

In a break from usual secrecy, it appears that the actor from “Interstellar” is the first to announce his role in an upcoming series. HBO, who’ve been tight-lipped about the “Harry Potter” remake, have yet to confirm this news following The Times’ request for verification on Tuesday. Similarly, a representative for Lithgow has not yet responded to The Times regarding this matter.

In April 2023, the company that owns HBO and Warner Bros. Films, Warner Bros. Discovery, unveiled a new series. This series is based on J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” novels, which she authored. Rowling herself will serve as an executive producer for this project, despite facing criticism in recent times due to her transphobic statements.

California

A resident from Arizona was granted $7.25 million by a federal court in California, following a disastrous medical incident that occurred during a fun-filled day at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, which she had visited with her grandson.

Casey Bloys, head of HBO and Max Content, expressed great enthusiasm about diving into this vast world and delving into fascinating characters through a sequence of episodes back then.

J.K. Rowling’s works have consistently been financially successful for Warner Bros. Discovery. The original movie series, featuring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, was a box office giant. The studio also attempted to adapt Rowling’s “Fantastic Beasts” book series into film, although the result wasn’t as successful. They continued to explore the world of Harry Potter for other projects, including a baking competition series. In 2022, HBO commemorated the 20th anniversary of Harry Potter with an emotional reunion special.

Ever since HBO unveiled their plans in 2023, they’ve been quite secretive about the production process of the upcoming series. Fans, or Potterheads as we like to call them, have primarily relied on industry news for updates, gathering tidbits such as the choice of showrunners (the “Succession” team comprising Francesca Gardiner and Mark Mylod) and the open auditions for fresh actors to play Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.

HBO is expecting the series to debut in 2026 or 2027, Deadline reported.

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2025-02-26 03:31

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