John Lithgow Opens Up About His Nerves and Excitement for Dumbledore Role in Harry Potter Reboot

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15 years after the last film adaptation of the beloved seven-book series, I’m thrilled to announce that Warner Bros. Discovery is set to unveil a fresh take on the magical world of Harry Potter as a new television show remake!

In April 2023, the announcement was met with criticism from original fans due to it being too soon since the films ended and their ongoing popularity. Yet, this timing is also why Warner Bros. decided to reimagine the book series, a choice described as a “faithful” adaptation. Now, John Lithgow, cast as Professor Albus Dumbledore in the upcoming series, has addressed some of the casting concerns during his recent interview on BBC’s The One Show.

As a die-hard Harry Potter fan, let me share my excitement: The actor himself has revealed in an interview that he’s finding it difficult to make up his mind because the magical world of Harry Potter is once again attracting some remarkable talents. Despite the fact that I’d be well into my golden years (87 to be exact) by the time we wrap, I can’t resist the allure and have agreed to be a part of it.

After receiving the official confirmation, Lithgow expressed his feelings as being both “extremely enthusiastic” and “quite apprehensive.

The actor is set to emulate the footsteps of the deceased actors Richard Harris, Michael Gambon, and Jude Law (from the spin-off series “Fantastic Beasts”), who portrayed the characters in the films. Notably, he will be the first American to take on this role, a choice that has sparked some controversy given the original’s emphasis on British and Irish acting talents.

Lithgow mentioned that he will be taking after the renowned Michael Gambon, whom he greatly admired but never met. In fact, they share the same birthdate, which Lithgow found quite magical. As he stated, “I’ve always been a big fan of Michael Gambon. It was as if fate had brought us together in a way.

The 79-year-old clarified that although he may have convincingly portrayed an Englishman on television, he’s not actually one in real life. He subtly reminded everyone of his stellar performance as Winston Churchill on The Crown, which earned him an Emmy award.

Yes, indeed, it’s a tremendous excitement for me. I understand that there were many who found it surprising and even displeasing that an American was chosen to portray the iconic English wizard. However, rest assured, I will put forth my utmost effort.

Who Else Stars in the Harry Potter Reboot?

The future cast for this project is still undecided, generating much curiosity about who will take over from the initial actors. The Harry Potter films prominently starred Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, with numerous well-regarded actors in secondary roles. As of now, HBO has kept secret the identities of the new, younger cast members.

The latest cast confirmations feature several veteran actors who were previously speculated to be in negotiations for the series. Among them are Janet McTeer portraying Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu stepping into the role of Severus Snape, and Nick Frost taking on Rubeus Hagrid. Furthermore, casting decisions for guest and recurring roles have been made, including Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.

It’s with great excitement that we share the news of our talented cast: John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu, Nick Frost, Luke Thallon, and Paul Whitehouse. They will be playing Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Hagrid, Quirrell, and Filch respectively, according to Francesca Gardiner, the series showrunner and executive producer, along with Mark Mylod, another executive producer and director of several episodes. We’re thrilled to have these remarkable actors joining us, and we can hardly wait to watch them breathe new life into these cherished characters.

Harry Potter is expected to premiere sometime in 2026 on HBO.

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2025-04-17 21:50