Kit Harington replaces Nicholas Hoult in HBO Harry Potter after schedule conflicts
Kit Harington is replacing Nicholas Hoult in HBO’s Harry Potter (Image: Getty Images)
Kit Harington will play Gilderoy Lockhart in season two of HBO’s Harry Potter series, replacing Nicholas Hoult, who exited due to scheduling conflicts.
The change was confirmed in a post on the verified Harry Potter Instagram, as the reboot continues to face backlash linked to J.K. Rowling’s views.
The account wrote: “Before we begin year two at Hogwarts, there has been a slight change due to schedule: Kit Harington will be stepping into the role of Gilderoy Lockhart.”
Harington has already played Lockhart, having voiced the character in Audible’s Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions released late last year. He also told Collider: “I’m a huge Potter fan. I’ve got to be honest, he’s one of my favourite characters,” adding: “So, to be offered to play him is a real dream. I’ve had a taste of him (in the audiobook) and felt my way around him. He’s just a wonderful creation.”
Harington became a defining face of 2010s fantasy TV as Jon Snow in HBO’s Game of Thrones, and has since returned to the network with a prominent role in Industry, including a moment that sparked discussion after a steamy scene went viral.
Why Hoult left the role
Season two, based on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, is scheduled to begin filming in the autumn. According to Deadline, a production scheduling reshuffle meant HBO had to work around two pre-existing projects Hoult had going on, and moving around the Lockhart scenes within the season two schedule made his involvement no longer feasible.
Fans of Hoult were left disappointed when his casting was announced, with other stars of the new show also facing backlash for signing on.
Season one, titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, is set to premiere on 25 December 2026 on HBO and HBO Max. Rowling is an executive producer on the series.
Facing backlash
A number of cast members of the HBO Harry Potter reboot have addressed the backlash, which stems from Rowling’s involvement and the fact she will be using her personal fortune, which will benefit from the series, to help fund legal support for “individuals and organisations fighting to retain women’s and girls’ sex-based rights in all aspects of life”.
Recently, Bel Powley, who will play Petunia Dursley, told The Telegraph that she “strongly disagrees” with Rowling’s views on gender, adding: “I think that the trans community deserve safety and dignity and respect and total acceptance.”
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