John Lithgow to Portray Dumbledore in HBO's Harry Potter Series

HBO is pushing forward with its highly anticipated Harry Potter TV series, and it looks like they've secured their first major casting: John Lithgow will take on the iconic role of Professor Dumbledore. After a long search, HBO seems to have found its ideal Dumbledore in Lithgow, who confirmed his acceptance of the role in a recent interview with ScreenRant. He expressed that taking on Dumbledore will define the "last chapter" of his life.

"Well, it came as a total surprise to me," Lithgow said. "I got the phone call while at the Sundance Film Festival for another project. It wasn’t 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, which made it 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 announcement for the upcoming Harry Potter TV series, though it's worth noting that HBO and Warner Bros. have yet to officially confirm Lithgow's involvement. HBO's vision for the series involves re-adapting all of J.K. Rowling's books into a television format, featuring a fresh cast taking on beloved roles such as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and the entire Hogwarts ensemble. J.K. Rowling herself will serve as an executive producer, alongside Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts.

Despite Lithgow's verbal commitment, the absence of a complete cast suggests that the series is still a while away from beginning production. John Lithgow, a seasoned actor known for his work in both film and television, gained widespread recognition for his role as Dick Solomon in the sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun. He also received critical acclaim and an Emmy for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in the first season of Netflix's The Crown.