(Left) Nicholas Hoult the AFI Los Angeles Premiere of ‘Juror #2,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Eric Charbonneau. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. (Right) Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart in ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

Preview:

• Nicholas Hoult will play Gilderoy Lockhart in the ‘Harry Potter’ series.
• Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout are Harry, Ron and Hermione.
• The second season, ‘The Chamber of Secrets,’ will likely arrive next year.

Having renewed its ambitious TV take on the ‘Harry Potter’ stories for a second season months ahead of the first season’s December debut, Deadline reports that HBO is locking in a key part of the cast for the new season.

Nicholas Hoult, currently busy reprising his ‘Superman’ role of Lex Luther on the set of ‘Man of Tomorrow,’ has scored the part of Gilderoy Lockhart in the show.

“A new era of Hogwarts begins.”

Air Date: December 25th, 2026

Starring: Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, Alastair Stout

You might recall that Lockhart is a bloviating, smarmy and fame-obsessed wizard well versed in Memory Charms who is recruited by Dumbledore as Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. Kenneth Branagh brought the character to life for the second ‘Potter’ movie.

Related Article: HBO Renews its ‘Harry Potter’ Show for Second Season Ahead of Premiere

What’s the story of the ‘Harry Potter’ TV series?

John Lithgow in ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’. Photo: Lara Cornell/HBO.

Here’s the official logline: “There is nothing special about Harry Potter – at least that’s what his Aunt Petunia always says. On his 11th birthday, a letter of admittance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry opens up a hidden world for Harry: one of fun, friendship and magic. But with this new adventure comes great risk as Harry is forced to face a dangerous enemy from his past…”

When will the first ‘Harry Potter’ Season be on screens?

Dominic McLaughlin in ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’. Photo: Aidan Monaghan/HBO.

HBO is giving us all a Christmas gift in the shape of the first episode of Season 1 –– ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’ –– landing on the channel (and streaming on HBO Max) on December 25th. Happy Wizarding Christmas!

(L to R) Daniel Radcliffe and Kenneth Branagh in ‘Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

List of Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Harry Potter’ Franchise:

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