There’s a new Albus Dumbledore coming to the small screen.
John Lithgow has confirmed that he will portray the Hogwarts headmaster in HBO’s upcoming “Harry Potter” series, which will begin filming this summer.
Lithgow, 79, said in an interview with ScreenRant that the invitation to play the beloved character came “as a total surprise.”
“I just got the phone call up at the Sundance Film Festival for yet another film, and it was not an easy decision because it’s going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I’m afraid," he said. "But I’m very excited."
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HBO has said the new “Harry Potter” show will be a “faithful adaptation of the iconic books" — meaning the role will likely be a multi-year commitment for Lithgow, given that Dumbledore features heavily in every installation of J.K. Rowling’s seven-part series.
“I’ll be about 87 years old at the wrap party, but I’ve said yes,” he said.
In reference to Lithgow’s comments, HBO told ScreenRant in a statement that it is not yet ready to publicly confirm casting details.
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“We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation. As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals,” the studio said.
Lithgow’s casting marks the first time an American actor will play Dumbledore.
The character was first portrayed on screen by the late Irish actor Richard Harris, who died in 2002 after appearing in the first two “Harry Potter” movies.
The role was then taken up by the Irish-English actor Michael Gambon, who appeared in the remaining six films. Gambon died at 82 in 2023.
A young Dumbledore was also portrayed by Jude Law in two prequel films, “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” and “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.”
No other actors have been linked to the upcoming reboot.
Meanwhile, Daniel Radcliffe, who played Harry Potter in the original franchise, has said he will not make an appearance in the upcoming series.
“They’re going for a new series and there will be somebody else playing Harry so I think it would be very weird for me to show up,” Radcliffe told “Access Hollywood” in 2023.
“I’m very excited to see what other people do with it,” he added.
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