Kit Harington replaces Nicholas Hoult for Season 2 of the “Harry Potter” series and will portray Gilderoy Lockhart
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, prominent Hollywood actor Kit Harington will portray Gilderoy Lockhart in the second season of HBO’s “Harry Potter” series. He replaces Nicholas Hoult, who departed the project due to scheduling conflicts.
Late last year, the “Game of Thrones” star voiced the character of Lockhart in Audible’s “Harry Potter” audiobooks—a character who plays a pivotal role in the second book, “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.” Lockhart is a famous yet arrogant wizard renowned for his heroic deeds who is appointed as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts, though it quickly becomes clear that he is utterly unqualified for the post. Kenneth Branagh previously played the role in the 2002 film adaptation of “The Chamber of Secrets.”
Harington, a self-proclaimed die-hard fan of the “Harry Potter” universe, told reporters that he has loved J.K. Rowling’s books since childhood and has reread them multiple times. Regarding his voice work for the character, he remarked: “Accepting the offer was a no-brainer for me because I love this character. If you look at short, specific roles in a franchise, there isn’t a role more fun and charming for an actor than Gilderoy Lockhart. Choosing it required zero second-guessing.”
Filming for the second season of the “Harry Potter” series, based on “The Chamber of Secrets,” will begin this autumn. Additionally, the first season of the series will premiere on Christmas Day on HBO and its streaming service, HBO Max.
In the series, Dominic McLaughlin stars in the title role of Harry Potter, with Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout appearing as Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, respectively. Other cast members include John Lithgow as Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Professor McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid.
John Brown, one of the writers for the TV adaptation’s first season, has joined the second season as co-showrunner. He will work alongside Frances Gardiner, the series’ showrunner and main developer. Gardiner serves as executive producer alongside director Mark Mylod. Novelist J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV, along with David Heyman of Heyday Films, also serve as executive producers, with Warner Bros. Television producing.
