Game of Thrones star Kit Harington is set to join the cast of HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter adaptation, filling a pivotal role that Superman actor Nicholas Hoult had been expected to take on.
Earlier this month it was reported that Hoult would appear in the much-anticipated series as Gilderoy Lockhart, a famous author who becomes the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at the wizarding school, Hogwarts.
However, according to Variety the actor has departed the role over “scheduling conflicts.”
The part of Lockhart will now be filled by Harington, who played the same character in Audible’s Harry Potter audiobooks.
Speaking to the publication on a previous occasion about the audio version, Harington called himself a Harry Potter “nerd” and added of Lockhart: “It was a really simple yes, because I love the character. As far as cameos in a series go, you don’t get much more entertaining and fun to do as an actor than Gilderoy Lockhart. It was a no-brainer.”
The character was previously portrayed by Kenneth Branagh in the 2002 film, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
The first season of HBO’s television adaptation of the wildly popular series is set to arrive on air this Christmas, December 25, 2026. It has been billed as a “faithful adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter book series by author and executive producer J.K. Rowling.”
Over the last year, HBO has unveiled an impressive cast for the new series – from its new young stars to John Lithgow as Dumbledore and Shaun of the Dead’s Peter Serafinowicz as Peeves the Poltergeist.
Last May, HBO announced that after auditioning more than 30,000 actors for the three main characters, Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry, Arabella Stanton will portray Hermione, and Alastair Stout will be Ron. The three newcomers’ characters were originated by Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, respectively.
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The role of Severus Snape, which was previously played by the late Alan Rickman, will now be played by Paapa Essiedu. He is known for his roles in Genie, Gangs of London, and The Lazarus Project.
The series is expected to run for a decade, with each season based on one of the seven Rowling books. The books follow the story of 11-year-old Harry Potter as he learns of his acceptance to Hogwarts, the esteemed school of witchcraft and wizardry, and his attempts to defeat the evil Lord Voldemort.