Overview
- Lithgow said in a New Yorker Radio Hour interview that he was urged to quit over J.K. Rowling’s views but chose to stay, adding that he still disagrees with much of what she has said.
- He said he has not met Rowling and credited showrunner Francesca Gardiner, along with director Mark Mylod, for convincing him to play Dumbledore.
- HBO’s first teaser for the series drew about 277 million views in 48 hours, a record for the network’s trailers.
- Rowling praised the early footage on X, writing that the show is going to be incredible, as promotion for the reboot ramps up.
- The series is reported to launch at Christmas 2026 on HBO with streaming on HBO Max, as backlash continues including reports of threats against cast and heightened security on the production.