LOS ANGELES — Kit Harington has returned to the realm of HBO’s fantasy programming.

Harington, popular for portraying reluctant hero Jon Snow in the TV adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s “Game of Thrones,” has joined the cast of HBO’s “Harry Potter” series, the network confirmed Monday. HBO teased Harington’s casting on Instagram, revealing he will play Professor Gilderoy Lockhart.

“Superman” and “Renfield” actor Nicholas Hoult was initially cast in the role but departed the series over scheduling issues, according to Deadline. In the film adaptations of author J.K. Rowling’s beloved children’s series, Kenneth Branagh portrayed the Hogwarts instructor.

Emmy-nominated Harington comes to the TV series with some “Harry Potter” experience already in hand. Last year he voiced Professor Lockhart for Audible’s “Harry Potter” audiobooks. Years after “Game of Thrones” ended in 2019, Harington reunited with HBO for its gritty finance drama “Industry,” portraying a complicated tech CEO.

HBO’s “Harry Potter” is set to premiere on Christmas Day with Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger. Other cast members include John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.

Earlier this year, actor Gracie Cochrane’s family announced that the young actor departed the series— she was to play Ron Weasley’s younger sister Ginny — because of a “challenging decision” to “unforeseen circumstances.”

“We support Gracie Cochrane and her family’s decision not to return for the next season of HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’ series,” HBO wrote in a statement at the time, “and we are grateful for her work on season one of the show.”

----------

©2026 Los Angeles Times. Visit at latimes.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.