John Lithgow’s recent comment about Dumbledore definitely holds water, but if HBO wants to nail the character, he must be more than a nuclear weapon.

John Lithgow has confirmed that he will portray the Hogwarts headmaster in HBO’s upcoming “Harry Potter” series, which will begin filming this summer. Lithgow, 79, said in an interview with ScreenRant that the invitation to play the beloved character came “as a total surprise.”