The two-time Oscar nominee, who has played the likes of Winston Churchill and Roald Dahl before, could become the first confirmed named for the new show.

Hollywood has a not-so-mysterious way of casting who they want for roles in films and television shows with major IPs. There is usually a breadcrumb trail that you can trace back to a few previous projects that will help you understand why a choice was made for a particular actor.

John Lithgow is in final negotiations to portray Professor Albus Dumbledore in HBO's series adaptation of the hugely popular fantasy books.