Kit Harington to play Gilderoy Lockhart in HBO Harry Potter Season 2

Kit Harington to play Gilderoy Lockhart in HBO Harry Potter Season 2

Kit Harington is joining the cast of HBO's Harry Potter television series for its second season. The Game of Thrones star will portray Gilderoy Lockhart, the fame-obsessed author and Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts, replacing Nicholas Hoult in the role.

The casting shift follows the departure of Hoult, who had been cast in July. According to Variety, Hoult exited the series due to scheduling conflicts. Reports indicate that HBO had been attempting to work around two of Hoult's pre-existing projects, but when the production schedule for Lockhart's scenes shifted, the arrangement became untenable and Hoult was released from his deal.

The transition comes amid external pressure. Earlier this month, Hoult's casting prompted an outcry from some fans who expressed dismay over his participation in the project given the social media attacks by author and executive producer J.K. Rowling against the transgender community. Some of Hoult's most dedicated supporters announced they would no longer support the actor because of the decision.

For Harington, the role is a return to a character he has already performed. He previously voiced Lockhart in the Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions released late last year. A self-described nerd for the series, Harington grew up reading the books and remained a fan throughout his teenage years.

"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."

Kit Harington via Variety

Lockhart, a central figure in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, is characterized by his vanity and claims of defeating dangerous magical creatures. In the 2002 film adaptation, the character was played by Kenneth Branagh and was noted as a five-time winner of Witch Weekly’s Most Charming Smile Award.

The broader production has already assembled an extensive cast. Following an audition process involving more than 30,000 actors for the lead trio, HBO announced that Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry, Arabella Stanton will portray Hermione, and Alastair Stout will play Ron. The adult cast includes John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as McGonagall, Nick Frost as Hagrid, and Peter Serafinowicz as Peeves the Poltergeist.

The series continues to face scrutiny regarding the views of J.K. Rowling. Bel Powley, who will play Aunt Petunia, recently addressed these tensions. While maintaining her love for the books and magic, Powley told the Telegraph that she strongly disagrees with Rowling’s views on gender and stated that the trans community deserves safety and dignity and respect and total acceptance.

The television adaptation is intended to be a faithful version of the books, with a planned decade-long run where each season corresponds to one of the seven novels. Francesca Gardiner remains the showrunner, while Jon Brown has been promoted to co-showrunner for the second season.

Season 1 is scheduled to premiere on HBO and HBO Max on December 25, 2026. In the UAE, the series is expected to arrive on OSN+ this December. Filming for Season 2, featuring Harington, is set to begin this autumn.