John Lithgow is stepping into the Wizarding World, and while he’s not downplaying the commitment, he’s also not too stressed about talking on the role of Dumbledore.
Appearing on the Smartless podcast, Lithgow opened up about his upcoming role in HBO’s Harry Potter TV series, which will span all seven books across multiple seasons. The project is massive in scope, and for Lithgow, that’s not lost on him, especially at this stage in his career.
He said: “The logistics are a little bit scary. I really did have to think hard about whether to take it on but I also thought, well, I’m about to turn 80 next year. If this is indeed a seven- or eight-year-long job, it’s a wonderful way to grow old as an actor.
“I mean, the alternative is to just be hauled out once a year to play an Alzheimer’s patient … and an awful lot of death scenes with weeping middle-aged children, you know.”
Still, when it comes to the actual job of being Dumbledore on screen, Lithgow doesn’t seem too daunted.
“Dumbledore is kind of the nuclear weapon,” he said. “He only goes on very, very occasionally. I don’t think it’s gonna be that hard a job, and, we’ll just go back and forth … The logistics are a little bit scary.”
It’s worth noting that Lithgow hasn’t finished the book series yet. “I’m halfway through the second [book],” he shared, which means he hasn’t hit the more Dumbledore-heavy moments that show off the character’s complexity, especially in later books like The Half-Blood Prince or The Order of the Phoenix.
Who knows, maybe his perspective will shift when he gets to the wand-slinging showdown with Voldemort.
Lithgow’s casting made headlines earlier this year as the first official actor confirmed for HBO’s reboot. His involvement also marked a notable shift from the all-British cast of the original films. Since then, Paapa Essiedu has reportedly joined as Snape, and Janet McTeer as McGonagall.
HBO’s Harry Potter series is still in early pre-production and is aiming for a 2026 or 2027 premiere. The long-term plan is ambitious: one season per book, told over the course of a decade.
Dumbledore isn’t the most screen-heavy role in the saga, but it is a pivotal one—and with Lithgow’s range and presence, it’ll be fascinating to see what he brings to the part. He’s clearly not taking it lightly. He’s just not losing sleep over it either.
And honestly? That might be the kind of energy Dumbledore needs.
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