Kit Harington has joined HBO's upcoming Harry Potter television series and will play Gilderoy Lockhart in the show's second season. The actor replaces Nicholas Hoult, who exited the role due to a scheduling conflict.
Harington, widely known for playing Jon Snow in Game of Thrones, will take on the role of the charismatic but self-obsessed wizard when the series adapts Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
The casting change was announced ahead of the beginning of Harry Potter's second year at Hogwarts. Gilderoy Lockhart becomes an important character in Chamber of Secrets after joining Hogwarts as the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor.
In the story, Lockhart is a popular wizard and bestselling author known for writing about his alleged encounters with dangerous creatures. However, his reputation and public image become central to the character's storyline as the events of Harry's second year unfold.
The role was previously played by Kenneth Branagh in the Harry Potter film series. Kit Harington also has previous experience with the character, having voiced Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions.
The upcoming HBO adaptation will feature Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger. Jon Lithgow has been cast as Albus Dumbledore, while Nick Frost will play Rubeus Hagrid.
The first season, based on Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, is expected to introduce a new generation of viewers to the wizarding world before the second season moves on to the events of Chamber of Secrets.
The new Harry Potter series is planned as a long-term adaptation of JK Rowling's seven-book series, with multiple seasons expected to explore the story in greater detail than the earlier film franchise.
With Kit Harington now stepping into the role of Gilderoy Lockhart, the series has made a significant casting change ahead of production on its second season.
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