Despite some fans wishing the whole thing was a bad dream, HBO’s Harry Potter series is moving forward. In fact, an acting legend, John Lithgow, just joined the cast as Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts. The pick has been met with skepticism, but Dexter fans know he can go dark.
The reservations people are having about Lithgow seem to be coming from two fronts: some feel like he is too old to commit to a series that may go on for the better part of a decade, while others only see him as a funny grandpa character. And while both sides make some valid points, the truth is that Lithgow has been an actor for over 50 years, and his resume is full of complicated characters.
Lithgow’s recent turn as Cardinal Tremblay in 2024’s Conclave brought him Oscar buzz, and his performance as Winston Churchill on Netflix’s The Crown speaks for itself. However, Dexter fans are flocking to the Internet to show appreciation for the actor who brought the Trinity Killer to life.
You guys are out of your minds hating on Lithgow. There is a playfulness and humor to the character of Dumbledore in the books that has never really done well in the films. Lithgow is fantastic with humor. He can also be a stone cold villain that actually terrifies you. I…
— JeremyRidgeway (@Jeremy_Ridgeway) February 12, 2025
John Lithgow is awesome. His serial killer role in that season of Dexter was low key one of the best performances I’ve seen on TV. He’s perfect for that role. That whole season was amazing.
— NJ Yankee Fan (@JohnDoe1029485) February 13, 2025
I love it but I hate it. Lithgow was so good at playing Trinity in Dexter that I still kind of hate him when I see him https://t.co/i8De2xIga7
— Liiiiiiiiv (@LivMaddix) February 12, 2025
Dexter has been catching a second wind in recent years. Following the conclusion of the original series in 2013, a sequel series, Dexter: New Blood, arrived and gave Michael C. Hall another chance to explore his titular killer. He wasn’t doing great, though, still living with everything that went down in Miami, including his battle against Lithgow’s Trinity Killer, who killed his wife, Rita.
The Trinity Killer hid in plain sight as an unassuming family man, which made it all the more terrifying when he flipped into serial killer mode. It’s not all that dissimilar from Dumbledore’s turn from wholesome mentor to cutthroat wizard. Sure, the headmaster isn’t killing people without mercy, but he hides the darker side of himself from Harry Potter and his friends until they’re ready to face it.
That’s why Dexter fans believe Lithgow can pull off Dumbledore, as all he has to do is look back at his time as the Trinity Killer for inspiration. It may also help that the actor has a lot of experience with TV shows. Of course, the Harry Potter movies, for the most part, were great, but they had limited time to explore each school year. With several more hours to play with, Dumbledore is sure to be a more layered figure by the time those later years roll around.