John Lithgow To Play Dumbledore For HBO

Six-time Emmy winner John Lithgow is reportedly in final negotiations to portray Professor Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s series adaptation of the hugely popular “Harry Potter” novels by J.K. Rowling.

Deadline broke the news, indicating Lithgow is not just in talks but seemingly close to a deal – unlike previously rumored for the role candidates like Mark Rylance and Mark Strong. Dumbledore is the headmaster of the Hogwarts wizarding school and a key character throughout the series.

HBO officially declined to comment, saying in a statement: “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation. As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.”

Showrunner Francesca Gardiner and series director Mark Mylod previously confirmed the series will stick to the canonical ages from the books – with several adult characters to be younger than their film counterparts.

If cast, Lithgow would be the oldest person to take on the role – Richard Harris was 71 when he shot the first film while Michael Gambon was 62 when he filmed his first appearance. Jude Law was 45 playing a younger version of the character.

The series aims to adapt the works into seven seasons with one season per book. The first season, and likely the subsequent ones, are said to clock in at around eight episodes each.

Though Lithgow is American, he has played British characters plenty of times – i including winning six Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Winston Churchill on “The Crown”.

The “Harry Potter” TV series, which will be filmed at Warner Bros Studios Leavesden and is slated to debut on HBO in late 2026 or early 2027.

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