Expecto patronum! Is Lord Farquaad himself, John Lithgow, set to play the great Professor Dumbledore in HBO’s new Harry Potter series?

Just when you thought it had gone a touch quiet on HBO’s new Harry Potter series, up pops Deadline with a report that the legendary American actor, John Lithgow, is in final negotiations to play Professor Albus Dumbledore in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series. However, don’t go racing through that wall on Platform 9 3/4’s to catch a glimpse of the new professor just yet, as HBO are being coy on the casting. “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation,” the network said in a statement. “As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.”

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Lithgow would be a tantalizing addition to the series, and while he’d need to fine-tune his English accent, he has the gravitas to bring something fresh to the character. Casting elsewhere on the series hasn’t been confirmed so far, and while over 32,000 kids have already auditioned for parts, we’re yet to see who will fill the shoes of Hermione Grainger, Ron Weasley, or even the boy wizard himself, Harry Potter.

In terms of content, every season of the how is said to cover each of J.K Rowling’s seven novels, and while the movies managed to include all of the most important elements of each book, there are still many other moments or plotlines that the series can mine from. Warner Bros. released a statement last year, saying, “Each season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world, while the original, classic and beloved films will remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally.” Production is expected to begin later this summer.

Most importantly, what do YOU think of Lithgow’s potential casting? Let us know in the comments section!!