Nicholas Hoult has been cast as Gilderoy Lockhart in the second season of HBO's upcoming Harry Potter television series, according to Deadline. The British actor, known for his roles in "Skins" and "The Great," will take on the character first portrayed by Kenneth Branagh in the 2002 film adaptation of "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets."
In J.K. Rowling's book series, Lockhart is a Hogwarts professor and a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who is known for taking credit for other wizards' heroic deeds after memory modification. Hoult also recently played Lex Luthor in the 2025 "Superman" film.
The first season of the HBO Harry Potter reboot has yet to premiere, with its release scheduled for Christmas. However, casting for the second season is already underway. Production for season two is reportedly set to begin this fall, months before the first season's debut.
Season two of the series received a green light in May. Jon Brown, who wrote for the first season, has been promoted to co-showrunner alongside Francesca Gardiner for the upcoming season.
The series will feature Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger. Other cast members include Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, and Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall.
J.K. Rowling, who is executive producing the series, recently shared her positive review of the first two episodes, calling them "SO, SO, SO GOOD" in a post on X in June. The original "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" film grossed over $883 million worldwide.