Nicholas Hoult has withdrawn from the role of Gilderoy Lockhart in HBO's Harry Potter reboot due to scheduling conflicts, with Kit Harington now confirmed to take over the part for the second series.
The announcement was made on the official Harry Potter Instagram account on 24 August to its 13.1 million followers, accompanied by an image of Harington. The message read: "Before we begin year two at Hogwarts, there has been a slight change due to scheduling: Kit Harington will now be stepping into the role of Gilderoy Lockhart."
Harington's previous Lockhart role
Harington, known for his roles as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones and in the corporate thriller Industry, had previously voiced Gilderoy Lockhart in the star-studded Audible audio adaptation. That production featured a cast including Hugh Laurie as Dumbledore, Matthew Macfadyen as Lord Voldemort, Michelle Gomez as Professor McGonagall, Dìrísù as Sirius Black, and Keira Knightley as Dolores Umbridge.
In the original film series, the character of Gilderoy Lockhart was portrayed by Sir Kenneth Branagh. The character is a wizard celebrity-turned-Hogwarts teacher who hides a big secret.
Fan reactions
Numerous fans flocked to the Instagram comments section to voice their opinions on the casting shake-up. One wrote: "He would be perfect for the role of Sirius Black." Another echoed those feelings: "I definitely agree with a number of the comments here; he'd be better as Sirius Black."
A third remarked: "He did an amazing job playing the character in the new audiobooks and I am sure he will do an amazing job but I wanted him as Sirius Black or Professor Lupin." A fourth added: "He was incredible at audiobook. He already worked so hard on the character he knows it. m sure he is gonna be amazing, good luck!"
Second series production
Production on the second series of HBO's Harry Potter is expected to get under way shortly, with the first instalment due to air on Christmas Day this year. Harington will join The Crown's John Lithgow as Professor Albus Dumbledore, alongside Janet McTeer as Professor Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Professor Severus Snape, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, all of whom feature in the opening series.
The first series also stars Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. Despite considerable excitement amongst devoted fans, the production has also attracted significant criticism owing to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling's views on trans rights.
