Amid backlash, Kit Harrington defends the Harry Potter show and why he joined the cast

Stepping into Gilderoy Lockhart for HBO ’s new Harry Potter series, Kit Harington says the gig comes from a place that’s more bedtime ritual than career move. On NBC’s Today, he described how the books have been part of his nightly routine for years.

"I was a fan when I was a kid, and then I rediscovered it as an adult, listening to it every night. I listen to it every single night, and it helps me go to sleep, and I know other people do that as well, so they're really important books to me,"

Harington also said the switch to a longform TV adaptation was what made him lean in.

"When I knew this was happening as a series, I thought it was the best idea,"

He added that he’d had his eye on the project from early on and wanted in, even as the Lockhart role changed hands. Nicholas Hoult was originally announced as the flamboyant professor before Harington took over.

The franchise ’s ongoing public debate around J.K. Rowling’s views has prompted varied responses from Wizarding World alums, but Harington kept the focus on his personal connection to the books and the storytelling possibilities on TV.

Where the series stands

Season 2 is already ordered and slated to adapt Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, with production planned at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden. HBO confirmed the renewal in May.

At the same time, multiple outlets have reported that some Season 2 filming was delayed while scripts were finalized, with major scenes reportedly pushed into October. Those reports cite unnamed Warner Bros. sources and say rewrites were underway; HBO has not confirmed those claims.

Before that, the eight-episode first season will tell the story of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. The core trio is led by:

• Dominic McLaughlin — Harry Potter
• Arabella Stanton — Hermione Granger
• Alastair Stout — Ron Weasley

Season 1 is set to premiere December 25, 2026 .