'Game of Thrones' star replaces Nicholas Hoult in HBO's Harry Potter series

Kit Harington has officially joined the cast of HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter adaptation.

Recently, it was reported that Nicholas Hoult would appear as Gilderoy Lockhart in the highly anticipated series.

However, according to Variety, the 36-year-old star exited the production due to "scheduling conflicts.

Now, it has been confirmed that Kit will play Gilderoy Lockhart in the fantasy series' second season.

"Before we begin year two at Hogwarts, there has been a slight change due to scheduling: Kit Harington will now be stepping into the role of Gilderoy Lockhart," a post on Harry Potter's official Instagram page read.

For those unversed, Kit already played the same character in Audible’s Harry Potter audiobooks.

“It was a really simple yes, because I love the character. 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. It was a no-brainer," he told the publication about the audio role.

It is worth mentioning here that the first season of HBO’s television adaptation of the wildly popular series will premiere on this Christmas, December 25, 2026. 

It has been described as a “faithful adaptation of the beloved Harry Potter book series by author and executive producer J.K. Rowling.”