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

HBO is accelerating its ambitious project to bring the magical world of Harry Potter to television, and it appears they've made a significant casting decision. John Lithgow has been tapped to portray the iconic Professor Dumbledore, a role that he confirmed in a recent interview with ScreenRant. Lithgow expressed that the offer came as a "total surprise" during the Sundance Film Festival, and accepting it was not an easy decision due to its profound impact on his career.

"It's going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I'm afraid," Lithgow remarked, adding that he's excited to be part of the project. "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."

This marks the first casting announcement for the upcoming Harry Potter TV series, although HBO and Warner Bros. have yet to officially confirm Lithgow's involvement. The series aims to re-adapt all of J.K. Rowling's beloved books, introducing a fresh cast to portray characters like Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and the rest of the Hogwarts community. Rowling herself will serve as an executive producer, alongside Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts.

Despite Lithgow's verbal confirmation, the absence of a complete cast suggests that the show is still in the early stages of production. Lithgow, a seasoned actor known for his roles in "3rd Rock from the Sun" and his Emmy-winning performance as Winston Churchill in Netflix's "The Crown," brings a wealth of experience to the role of Dumbledore.

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