Could the voice of Lord Farquaad be the next Dumbledore?

John Lithgow is said to be in final talks to take on the role of Professor Albus Dumbledore

Big news for Harry Potter fans as we might be one step closer to confirming the actor who will play Professor Albus Dumbledore in the upcoming Harry Potter TV series.

The new TV series was first announced in 2023, and will be shown on US streaming service HBO Max.

There are a few reports from media outlets Variety and Deadline that John Lithgow, a famous actor from the US, is in "final talks" to take the role of Hogwarts' illustrious headteacher.

His voice might sound familiar to some, as he played the part of Lord Farquaad in the animated movie, Shrek.

John Lithgow is a famous American actor

If John Lithgow is confirmed in the role, he will be one of a number of famous actors to play Professor Dumbledore on screen.

Two other actors played Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies: Richard Harris and Michael Gambon.

And Jude Law played a young Albus Dumbledore in the Fantastic Beasts film series.

"We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumour and speculation," series makers HBO said in response to the reports about Lithgow's potential casting.

Richard Harris was the first actor to play Dumbledore on screen

This new Harry Potter TV series is expected to stay true to the books by J.K. Rowling, and could go on for many years.

Filming will start this summer, and fans are eagerly waiting to see who will play Harry, Hermione, and Ron in the new series.

An open casting call has been held to find the three young stars, meaning almost anyone in the right age range could apply.

However, no actors have been officially confirmed in any of the roles yet and HBO says they "will only confirm details as we finalise deals."

What do you think about this potential casting announcement? Who would you like to see play the iconic roles of Harry Potter? Let us know in the comments.