Kit Harington Joins HBO's 'Harry Potter' Season 2 as Gilderoy Lockhart

Summary

Kit Harington has joined the cast of HBO's 'Harry Potter' series as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor Gilderoy Lockhart for Season 2Harington steps into the role following the exit of Nicholas Hoult due to scheduling conflictsSeason 2 begins filming this fall as Season 1 prepares to premiere on HBO and HBO Max on Christmas Day

HBO has officially cast Kit Harington as Gilderoy Lockhart in Season 2 of its upcoming Harry Potter television series. The Game of Thrones actor replaces Nicholas Hoult, who departed the production due to scheduling conflicts.

Harington will portray the famously flamboyant Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, a central figure in the plot of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The casting marks familiar territory for the actor, who previously voiced Lockhart in Audible’s full-cast audiobook series late last year. Celebrated for his vanity and exaggerated heroic exploits, the character was originally brought to the big screen by Kenneth Branagh in the 2002 film adaptation.

Harington joins an expansive ensemble led by Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, alongside Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. The veteran adult cast features John Lithgow as Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. On the production side, season one writer Jon Brown has been promoted to co-showrunner alongside series developer Francesca Gardiner, with Mark Mylod directing.

Season 2 of the Harry Potter series is set to begin shooting this fall, while Season 1 officially premieres on HBO and HBO Max on Christmas Day.

Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast