Kit Harington to Play Gilderoy Lockhart in HBO's Harry Potter Series
2 sources across 2 countries · Germany · United Kingdom
Who reported this
- Der Spiegel
- BBC News
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
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Kit Harington has been cast as Gilderoy Lockhart in the upcoming HBO Harry Potter television series. HBO confirmed the casting to the BBC, and the news was also shared via the official Harry Potter Instagram account. Harington replaces Nicholas Hoult, who was announced for the role two weeks prior but had to withdraw due to scheduling conflicts. Reports indicate Hoult is occupied with the Superman sequel, Man of Tomorrow.
Harington, known for his role as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones, previously voiced the character of Lockhart in Audible's full cast audio editions. The series is intended to be a faithful adaptation of J.K. Rowling's seven books, with each season covering one novel. The first season, based on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, is expected to premiere on HBO Max. While the BBC reports a Christmas premiere this year, Der Spiegel reports a Christmas 2026 release date.
The cast includes newcomer Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger. Additionally, Jon Lithgow will play Albus Dumbledore and Nick Frost will portray Rubeus Hagrid. The second season, which will adapt The Chamber of Secrets and feature Harington, is expected to begin filming this autumn.
While the center outlet focused on the production details and Harington's career, the center left outlet included additional context regarding the casting of Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape. That report noted that Essiedu, who is Black, has faced racist abuse and death threats because the character is white in the books.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- The framing connected the casting news to broader social issues by highlighting the racial controversy and harassment surrounding the casting of Severus Snape.
- Centre
- The framing focused on the professional casting change, production timelines, and the actor's previous collaborations with the network.
Sources
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