Kit Harington, known for his role as Jon Snow in HBO's "Game of Thrones," is set to join the cast of the upcoming "Harry Potter" series on HBO Max as Gilderoy Lockhart. Harington, an avowed fan of J.K. Rowling's books, has prior experience with the character, having voiced Lockhart in Audible's "Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions" last year.
Lockhart, a flamboyant and vain wizard who authored several books about his supposed heroic encounters with magical creatures, serves as the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. The character plays a significant role in "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," the second novel in Rowling's seven-book series.
In the Warner Bros. film adaptations, Lockhart was famously portrayed by Kenneth Branagh. The role in the HBO series was initially reported to go to actor Aaron Hoult, who had previously been announced for the part. However, HBO reportedly released Hoult from his commitment due to scheduling conflicts arising from a shift in the series' production timeline, according to Deadline, which first reported Harington's casting.
HBO has confirmed the reporting. Representatives for Harington and Hoult did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
This casting marks Harington's third project with HBO, following his starring roles in "Game of Thrones" and the drama "The Industry." The "Harry Potter" series is a major undertaking, with producers planning approximately one season per book, a process expected to span a decade to adapt all seven novels.
The series is being executive produced by J.K. Rowling, alongside Mark Mylod, who previously directed episodes of "Game of Thrones" and is slated to direct some installments of the "Harry Potter" series.