Kit Harington in Game of Thrones and Kenneth Branagh as Gilderoy Lockhart
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Kit Harington is facing backlash as he replaces Nicholas Hoult in Harry Potter TV show

'I expected better from Kit Harington'

Daisy Phillipson
24th August 2026, 19:10
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Less than two weeks after being cast as Gilderoy Lockhart in the second season of the Harry Potter TV show, Nicholas Hoult has dropped out. And it’s now been announced that Kit Harington is taking his place. 

The Game of Thrones star is the latest in a long line of stars joining the cast of the HBO show, which is set to cover one book per season and introduce the Wizarding World to a new generation of viewers. 

But the project has faced intense scrutiny due to the involvement of author JK Rowling, who has continued to use her Harry Potter fortune to provide financial and legal support for individuals and groups challenging trans-inclusive spaces, policies and workplace guidelines.

Hoult received backlash for his participation in the franchise, so much so that multiple directors came forward to say they had turned down the opportunity to get involved due to Rowling’s views. 

JK Rowling
Credit: X

The Superman star is no longer on the list, although Deadline reports that the real reason is due to scheduling conflicts. The Gilderoy Lockhart scenes had to shift within the season two production schedule, making it no longer feasible. 

It doesn’t name the projects, but we know Hoult is busy playing Lex Luthor in the DCU’s Man of Tomorrow and is starring in the upcoming film How to Rob a Bank.

Either way, it didn’t take long for the casting team to find a replacement in Harington, who already voiced Lockhart in last year’s Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions.

The backlash has now turned to Kit Harington

While there’s plenty of celebration over Harington taking on a bigger role in the Harry Potter franchise, his casting has also drawn criticism (to put it lightly). 

Taking to X, one alleged “we bullied Nicholas Hoult into dropping out (a positive),” although it should be noted that there’s no evidence the online backlash had anything to do with his departure.

They went on to say, “Wbk that Kit Harington is a cringy HP obsessed loser so this isn’t a surprise. Never seen GoT so i’m not attached to him in any way. Yeah sure go ruin your reputation some more.”

Another said, “Firstly, ‘scheduling conflicts’ feels like bullcrap. Secondly, it’s going to be funny to see Kit Harington not receive as much pushback purely because the lesser size of his fanbase.”

A third rather bluntly added, “‘Scheduling conflicts’ or that he didn’t like everyone calling him a scab for transphobes? Kit Harington is a scab now too.”

“Truly wild to imagine: watching Nicholas Hoult getting dragged all over the internet for a week and then thinking, ‘Yes, I could stand that, no sweat’,” wrote a fourth, and a fifth simply said, “I expected better from Kit Harington.”

Film Shrine has contacted Harington’s representatives for comment. 

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Featured image credit: HBO/Warner Bros.