Nicholas Hoult has been cast as Gilderoy Lockhart in the second season of HBO’s Harry Potter series, Deadline reported Tuesday, confirming weeks of casting speculation.

Lockhart is the vain, self-promoting wizard who takes over as Hogwarts’ Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in the Chamber of Secrets storyline, only for students to discover he built his reputation on stolen accomplishments rather than real skill.

Hoult’s casting means audiences will not see him on screen until season two. HBO’s first season, which covers the Philosopher’s Stone story, is set to premiere December 25, with the second season expected to begin filming this autumn, according to Variety and Deadline.

The role marks a return to the Harry Potter franchise for Hoult, who auditioned for the part of Harry Potter himself more than two decades ago before the role went to Daniel Radcliffe.

HBO’s adult ensemble for the series already includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall and Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, with the show planned to run across multiple seasons, one for each book.

Reaction to the Hoult news split online. Some fans welcomed the casting given his range in films such as The Great and Nosferatu, while others said they had hoped for an actor with a more overtly comic touch for a character built on peacocking self-regard.

The series represents one of HBO’s biggest active investments, with the network betting a decade-long commitment to the franchise can draw both nostalgic adult viewers and a new generation of younger fans who missed the original film series. Casting decisions for each new season have drawn heavy scrutiny from a fandom that has closely tracked every announcement since HBO confirmed the project in 2023.

HBO has not released a full season two casting list or confirmed a premiere date beyond noting production will begin later this year. The network has said it intends to adapt each of the seven Harry Potter books as its own season.