The Game of Thrones star steps into the vain wizard’s robes for season 2, replacing Nicholas Hoult after a schedule shift.
Kit Harington is heading back to HBO, this time with a wand and a lot of self-regard. The network has confirmed the Game of Thrones and Industry actor will play Gilderoy Lockhart in season 2 of its Harry Potter series. He takes over from Nicholas Hoult, who exited due to scheduling conflicts with other projects.
The official Harry Potter Instagram account shared the news with a simple note: “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.” Season 2 adapts Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and is due to start filming this fall. Season 1, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, arrives on HBO and Max on Christmas Day.
A Familiar Face in a New Robe
Harington already knows the character well. He voiced Lockhart in Audible’s full-cast Harry Potter audio editions released last year. In interviews around that project he called the role a no-brainer. “As far as cameos in a series go, you don’t get much more entertaining and fun to do as an actor than Gilderoy Lockhart,” he said. He has described the character as a fable about hubris, someone who believes his own press while everyone else sees through it.
That blend of vanity and comic tragedy made Lockhart a standout in the books and in Kenneth Branagh’s film performance. Harington’s take will bring the same energy to live action: the celebrity wizard who arrives at Hogwarts as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, signing books and stealing the spotlight while the real danger grows beneath the school.
AI Disclosure: This article was created with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools and was reviewed and edited by the Glowls News editorial team before publication.