Kit Harington Replaces Nicholas Hoult As Gilderoy Lockhart In HBO's Harry Potter Season 2

Game of Thrones star Kit Harington has boarded HBO’s Harry Potter series as Gilderoy Lockhart in Season 2, replacing Nicholas Hoult, who was announced for the role just a few weeks ago. Harington will essay the Defence Against The Dark Arts professor in the second season.

Scheduling issues are said to have triggered Hoult's exit from the reboot show, as HBO struggled to work around two of his pre-existing projects when the shooting schedule was changed. Hoult is currently filming the Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow. The official HBO Max account on Instagram confirmed the recasting, stating: “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.”

Kit Harington's Harry Potter Ties

Gilderoy Lockhart appeared in 2002's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Alongside the then-leading trio of Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson, he was portrayed by Kenneth Branagh.

He was one of the many A-listers to lend their voice to Audible's Full-Cast Audio Editions for the Harry Potter book series last year. While the project featured Keira Knightley as Professor Umbridge and James McAvoy as Mad-Eye Moody, Harington played Gilderoy Lockhart. "I read it, and like so many generations, I was entranced, and then I was a huge fan all through my teenage years," Harington told Audible, as shared by Deadline. "I think there’s a little bit of Gilderoy Lockhart in all of us," he added.

In recent years, Harry Potter author JK Rowling’s vocal stance on trans issues has spurred heated debate. Chris Columbus, director of the first two Harry Potter movies, vowed to never work with her again and noted that neither will the original trio of actors, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint.

The upcoming Max series is billed to be one of the most expensive television productions ever, with a projected total budget of approximately $2 billion. The show will span seven seasons, each with an estimated budget of close to $300M. The first season, officially titled Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, premieres this Christmas. Season 2 production is slated to begin in the fall. Harington was last seen in the critically acclaimed fourth season of HBO's finance drama, Industry.