We Might Have Our New Dumbledore—And It’s Not Who We Expected

Casting new actors in beloved roles is always a tricky business, especially when fans are so attached to the originals. But when it comes to Professor Albus Dumbledore, we've already had a few versions—Richard Harris, who set the tone for the character before his passing, Michael Gambon, who took over for the rest of the films, and Jude Law, who played a younger Dumbledore in Fantastic Beasts (not to mention Toby Regbo, who played an even younger version).

Now, according to Deadline, it looks like we might finally have our next Dumbledore—this time for HBO's upcoming Harry Potter TV series—and the name floating around is John Lithgow. Yes, you read that right. If this casting is finalized, Lithgow will be the first non-British actor to take on a major role in the Wizarding World (fun fact: Robin Williams wanted to play Hagrid but was turned down by JK Rowling for not being British).

What We Know So Far

Via opus3artists

🔮 Lithgow is in final negotiations for the role, though HBO has yet to confirm anything. In a statement, the network said, "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."

🔮 Lithgow has experience playing British roles, including Winston Churchill in The Crown (which won him an Emmy) and Roald Dahl in a recent London stage production. While some fans might be skeptical about an American stepping into the role, Lithgow has proven he can pull off an authentic British performance.

🔮 The Harry Potter series is designed to run for a decade, with Francesca Gardiner (His Dark Materials, Succession) serving as showrunner and Mark Mylod (Game of Thrones, Succession) as executive producer. The show promises to be a faithful adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s books, diving even deeper into the details than the films.

🔮 Filming is set to take place at Warner Bros Studios Leavesden, the same location where the original movies were shot, with a planned release sometime in late 2026 or early 2027.

What This Means for the Series

Via Warner Bros.

While Lithgow as Dumbledore is not what many expected, his acting range, ability to play authoritative yet warm-hearted characters, and past experience with British roles could make him an inspired choice. With HBO’s commitment to a decade-long adaptation, the new Harry Potter series is shaping up to be one of the biggest TV events in years.

The real question is: Can Lithgow pull off the iconic Dumbledore twinkle?