Nicholas Hoult cast as Gilderoy Lockhart in HBO’s ‘Harry Potter’

Nicholas Hoult will play Gilderoy Lockhart in the second season of HBO‘s “Harry Potter” TV series, Variety has learned from sources.

The highly-anticipated series is due to debut on Dec. 25 on HBO and HBO Max, with the first season adapting the first book in the novel series, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.” The show has already been renewed for a second season, which will be based on “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.”

Lockhart is a central character in “Chamber of Secrets.” As the book begins, he is a famous wizard known for many heroic acts that he has documented in a number of books, though he is also incredibly arrogant and vain. He becomes the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts, but it quickly becomes evident he is not qualified for the job.

Lockhart was previously played by Kenneth Branagh in the “Chamber of Secrets” movie in 2002.

This will be Hoult’s latest appearance in a major franchise. He previously played Dr. Hank McCoy/Beast in multiple X-Men films, and currently plays Lex Luthor in James Gunn’s DC Studios films. He originated the latter role in “Superman” in 2025 and will reprise it in the sequel “Man of Tomorrow” in 2027.

Hoult is also known for his roles in films like “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “Nosferatu,” “Juror #2,” “The Menu,” and “Renfield.” In television, he previously starred in the critically-acclaimed Hulu series “The Great,” for which he earned both an Emmy nomination and two Golden Globe nominations. He also played Luthor in the second season of “Peacemaker,” and had an early breakout role in the UK teen drama “Skins.”

He is repped by UTA, 42, and Sloane Offer.

Filming on the second season of “Harry Potter” is due to begin this fall. Dominic McLaughlin is set to play the title role in the show, with Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout playing Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. Additional cast members include John Lithgow as Hogwarts headmaster Dumbledore while Janet McTeer is Professor McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu plays Snape and Nick Frost has been cast as Rubeus Hagrid.

Jon Brown, a writer on the first season of the adaptation, has been promoted to serve as co-showrunner on Season 2. He joins current showrunner and series developer Francesca Gardiner. Gardiner serves as executive producer alongside director Mark Mylod. “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling also executive produces along with Neil Blair and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV and David Heyman of Heyday Films. Warner Bros. Television is the studio.

-Variety