Sometimes, good things come to those who wait. At one time, Nicholas Hoult was one of many young actors up for the role of Harry Potter, ultimately losing the role to Daniel Radcliffe. The rest, of course, is history as the franchise became one of the most successful of all-time. While it seemed Hoult might never get his time in the Wizarding World, Deadline reports he will actually get his shot in season two of the upcoming Harry Potter series for HBO. No, he won’t be playing an adult Harry, although that might’ve been cool.
While rumors have insisted Hoult would take on the role of Voldemort, that’s not the case. Instead, Hoult will reportedly take on the role of pompous celebrity wizard, Gilderoy Lockhart, who was famously played by Kenneth Branagh in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Gilderoy is a self-satisfied author and supposed adventurer who became famous for writing about his grand adventures and encounters with rare magical beasts. He became Hogwarts’ Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, where the truth of his exploits was eventually revealed.
HBO’s plan is to dedicate each season to one of JK Rowling’s books, so it makes sense that season two would focus on Chamber of Secrets.
Hoult joins a cast that includes Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, Amos Kitson as Dudley Dursley, Louise Brealey as Madam Rolanda Hooch, Anton Lesser as Garrick Ollivander, John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Bel Powley as Petunia Dursley, Daniel Rigby as Vernon Dursley, Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, Johnny Flynn as Lucius Malfoy, Katherine Parkinson as Molly Weasley, Leo Earley as Seamus Finnigan, Alessia Leoni as Parvati Patil, Sienna Moosah as Lavender Brown, and Bertie Carvel as Cornelius Fudge.
Harry Potter season one hits HBO this Christmas with Francesca Gardiner as showrunner.
Coming up for Hoult later this year is David Leitch’s How to Rob a Bank. He’ll also return as Lex Luthor in James Gunn’s Superman: Man of Tomorrow.
