- Primary Subject: Nicholas Hoult's casting in HBO's Harry Potter TV series
- Key Update: Nicholas Hoult has officially joined Season 2 of HBO's Harry Potter series.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: August 12, 2026
- Quick Answer: Nicholas Hoult has been cast as the fraudulent, fame-obsessed professor Gilderoy Lockhart in the upcoming second season of HBO's Harry Potter TV series.
Superman star Nicholas Hoult has joined the cast of the second season of the TV series adaptation of Harry Potter. Which fan-favorite character is he set to play?
Fans have been looking forward to the release of the HBO series adaptation of J.K. Rowling's best-selling series. While the first season has yet to air, preparations are already underway for the second season, which will be adapting the events of Chamber of Secrets.
Now, they have recruited a high-profile actor to play the antagonist.
Who Is Nicholas Hoult Playing in Harry Potter Season 2?
According to Deadline, Nicholas Hoult will play Gilderoy Lockhart in the second season of HBO's Harry Potter TV series.
The fan-favorite character, who is prominently known as the villain of Chamber of Secrets, was previously played by Kenneth Branagh in the film adaptation.
In case you're not familiar, Gilderoy Lockhart is a former Ravenclaw student turned wizarding celebrity. He built a fortune publishing bestsellers about his alleged triumphs over dark creatures.
However, in reality, he was a total fraud whose only genuine talent lay in Memory Charms, which he used to wipe the minds of real heroes before claiming their feats for himself.
The second season is set to begin production this fall, before the premiere of the TV series this Christmas season. Hoult is still working on the Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, where he is reprising the role of Lex Luthor (another villain role).
More casting details regarding the second season might emerge in the coming weeks as the production team is in the middle of preparing for its sophomore run.
What Is HBO's Harry Potter Series About?
Based on the J.K. Rowling book series, HBO's Harry Potter follows an orphan boy, mistreated by his relatives, who discovers he's a wizard. He receives a letter to attend Hogwarts School, where he finds friendship, magic, and adventure, finally discovering the home and love he was always meant to have.
The cast includes Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Rory Wilmot as Neville Longbottom, Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy, Warwick Davis as Filius Flitwick, and more.
The series will premiere in Christmas 2026 on HBO and will be available to stream exclusively on HBO Max.
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