Harry Potter Casting Dreams Are Officially Squashed With Game Of Thrones Star’s New Role

Published Aug 30, 2026, 7:30 PM EDT Angel Shaw is a Lead Writer and Critic on ScreenRant's TV team, covering new-release and classic TV shows across all major streaming platforms. She has been a writer with ScreenRant since 2022 and specializes in Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, and fantasy. Angel holds a bachelor's degree in language interpreting and is passionate about all things culture and communication—especially in how it relates to popular media throughout history (from Shakespeare to Friends to Game of Thrones). We are back in the realm of big news for HBO's Harry Potter TV show, as casting and production for season 2 come under way. While the majority of primary roles were filled ahead of season 1, which premieres Christmas Day of 2026, a trickle of new characters debut with each of the Harry Potter books. This means that each and every season should come with new announcements. There's more to come for season 2, certainly, but the big news for the moment is that Game of Thrones' Kit Harington will play Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. This announcement feels like deja vu for a couple of reasons. First, HBO had already announced that Nicholas Hoult would play Lockhart, taking up the mantle following Kenneth Branagh's performance in the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets movie. As it turns out, Hoult decided against taking part in the TV adaptation of J.K. Rowling's books. And so, Harington was selected instead. This particular sense of repetition stems from the fact that it was just a year ago that Harington was announced as playing Lockhart in Audible's full-cast audio production of the Harry Potter books. Evidently, Harington enjoyed the time he spent lending his voice to Gilderoy Lockhart, and that's great news for us. The Game of Thrones actor will already be familiar with this fraudulent defensive master's canon lines, and should have a solid appreciation for the character overall. It's great casting. Still, it's hard not to be disappointed that Harington didn't hold out for a different, even more perfect part. Kit Harington Was Just One Season Away From His Perfect Harry Potter Role Kit Harington at the 2026 Disney Upfront We know Harington can handle Gilderoy Lockhart because he has already done it. However, had Hoult kept this role in Harry Potter season 2, it might have kept the door open for Harington to take on a different character in season 3—Sirius Black. This has been a popular fancasting since shortly after the Harry Potter TV show was first announced. After all, Sirius is meant to be tall and handsome with dark hair, and his tragic story gives him a woeful, brooding quality that contrasts his more natural playfulness. All of this is something Harington is uniquely equipped for. While Sirius Black and Jon Snow could hardly be considered similar characters, there is more overlap here than there is between Jon Snow and Gilderoy Lockhart. That may be precisely why Harington chose to take on this role rather than hold out for Sirius, if that was ever an option. Lockhart is flamboyant and silly, but also a pretty solid villain, when it comes down to it. It's a shift for Harington, which means seeing him as this character should be a great deal of fun. Unfortunately, it will just be short-lived. While Gilderoy Lockhart is a key player in Chamber of Secrets, he is among those Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers who don't stick around. This might be what appealed to Harington about the character. After years as part of the leading ensemble cast for Game of Thrones, this actor might not have been interested in taking that same route with another major fantasy TV adaptation. As Sirius Black, he would have had a part to play in four out of the show's seven total seasons. With Lockhart, Harington can step in for a season of fun before going on his way. We Should At Least See Kit Harington Again In Harry Potter Season 5 It's hard to close the door on our hopes and dreams of Harington playing Sirius Black one day. Surely, HBO's Harry Potter will find another great actor to take on the role, and, as previously mentioned, Gilderoy Lockhart will be a great deal of fun. Harington gets to be outrageously charming and astoundingly heartless—obsessed with fame and renown in a way that neither the actor nor his Game of Thrones character ever has. Then, while Lockhart is only a prominent feature in Chamber of Secrets, Harington should return later in the show. In the Harry Potter movies, Branagh appeared only in Chamber of Secrets. However, Professor Lockhart has a rather comical run-in with Harry later in the series, in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. After his memory charm backfired on him, Lockhart was comitted to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries for full-time care. While visiting Mr. Weasley in the hospital, Harry and Ron are reunited with their old teacher, whose muddled memory does nothing to squash his vanity. Since HBO's Harry Potter is meant to be a book-faithful adaptation, season 5 should feature Gildroy Lockhart's big return at St. Mungo's. It would make for an especially comical moment to see Harington come back to play this character one last time, so we can't be overly disappointed. Sirius would have been great, but Harington's participation in Harry Potter is enough. Release Date 2026 - 2026 Showrunner Francisca Gardiner Directors Mark Mylod Cast Dominic McLaughlin Harry Potter Janet McTeer Minerva McGonagall Harry Potter is HBO's adatation of the iconic Wizarding World book series tby J.K. Rowling. The first season, The Philosopher's Stone, follows the titular Harry Potter as he discovers his magical potential, enrolls at Hogwarts, and begins to uncover a sinister force.