New series set to premiere in 2026 or 2027. HBO may finally have zeroed in on its Albus Dumbledore. Sources reportedly told Deadline about Lithgow’s negotiations, but HBO declined to comment. “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumour and speculation,” the network said in a statement. “As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalise deals.”.
![[John Lithgow is reportedly in final talks to play the Hogwarts headmaster]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2025/02/13/7/32/GettyImages-2195562469.jpeg)
The Independent has reached out to representatives for John Lithgow and HBO for comment. Three actors played Dumbledore in the original run of Harry Potter films between 2001 and 2011. Richard Harris played the headmaster in the first two instalments, The Philosopher’s Stone and The Chamber of Secrets. His death in 2002 saw Michael Gambon take over the role for the remaining films. In the film adaptations of the prequel franchise Fantastic Beasts, Jude Law played a younger version of Dumbledore in The Crimes of Grindelwald and The Secrets of Dumbledore.
![[Jude Law played a younger version of Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts series]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2022/04/17/17/Film_Review_-_Fantastic_Beasts__The_Secrets_of_Dumbledore_59246.jpg)
The TV adaption, confirmed by HBO Max in 2023, aims to be a “faithful adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter book series by author and executive producer JK Rowling”. The series is expected to run for a decade, each season based on one of the seven books. While casting calls for the three young leads – Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger – opened in September 2024, HBO has been scouting for older actors over the past few months to play adult characters such as Dumbledore and the primary villain Voldemort.
![[Nearly 32,000 children have sent audition tapes for the lead roles of Harry, Hermione and Ron, played in the original film franchise by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/09/10/05/GettyImages-1512210.jpg)
In November 2024, reports said producers were angling for Oscar-winning star of stage and screen Mark Rylance for the role of Dumbledore. A couple of months earlier, Gary Oldman, who played Harry Potter’s godfather Sirius Black in the original film franchise, had said he would be up to playing Dumbledore. “The world certainly doesn’t need another Harry Potter adaptation. Whether it even wants one is still up for debate. One thing’s clear, though: those at Warner Bros should think twice before hedging their bets on another decade of Pottermania.”.
