Hogwarts has found its new wizened headmaster. John Lithgow, currently busy on the Oscars trail for Conclave, has confirmed that he will play Albus Dumbledore in the TV series reboot of Harry Potter.
“It was not an easy decision because it’s going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I’m afraid,” Lithgow said in an interview with ScreenRant. “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.”
He continued self-deprecatingly, “I’ll be about 87 years old at the wrap party, but I’ve said yes.”
The casting news predictably caused a commotion among loyal fans. Potterheads share their reactions to the news online. Some question why the production casts an American in a quintessentially British role, a departure from the original films’ all-British ensemble. Others are more enthusiastic, though there are worries over 79-year-old Lithgow being able to last the course through the multi-year filming. This called to mind Richard Harris, the first Dumbledore actor, who died at 72 after filming the second Harry Potter film.
Casting for the brand new Harry Potter is clearly the most keenly-watched in showbiz beside James Bond right now. Knowing this, HBO is adopting a cautious stance with their response to the Dumbledore news:
“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.”
It looks like Lithgow and the production might still work things out before inking the deal. Casting remains underway for the rest of the Wizarding World inhabitants.