John Lithgow Reveals He'll Play Dumbledore in HBO's Harry Potter TV Series

HBO's highly anticipated Harry Potter TV series is making headway, with a significant casting announcement: the legendary John Lithgow will portray the iconic Professor Dumbledore. While not yet officially confirmed by HBO or Warner Bros., Lithgow himself confirmed his involvement in an interview with ScreenRant.

Lithgow described the role as a pivotal moment in his career, stating, “Well, it came as a total surprise to me. 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.”

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This marks the first casting confirmation for the upcoming series. HBO plans a complete re-adaptation of J.K. Rowling's books, featuring a new cast portraying beloved characters like Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley. Rowling will serve as an executive producer alongside Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts.

While Lithgow's casting is a significant step, the lack of a full cast suggests the series is still in the early stages of development. Lithgow, a veteran actor known for roles such as Dick Solomon in *3rd Rock from the Sun* and his Emmy-winning portrayal of Winston Churchill in *The Crown*, brings considerable experience and prestige to the project.