HBO’s Harry Potter series is really happening, so they must cast someone as Dumbledore. And who better to play him than John Lithgow, Dexter‘s Trinity Killer and Third Rock from the Sun‘s resident alien?

Lithgow is in talks to essay the TV version of Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, played by Richard Harris and Michael Gambon in the movies based on the popular fantasy book series.

HBO describes their upcoming Harry Potter series as a “faithful adaptation” and “a deep dive into each of the iconic books,” set a Wizarding school in England. Each season will be centered on one of the books, meaning the 79-year-old Lithgow would be in his late 80s by the time the series wrapped.

The series comes from writer/showrunner Francesca Gardiner (His Dark Materials) and director/executive producer Mark Mylod. The series is planned to run over the course of a decade with the intention of introducing new audiences to the story. HBO promises that the eight Harry Potter films, released between 2001 and 2011, will “remain at the core of the franchise and available to watch globally.”

Mark Rylance was also rumored to be in the running for Dumbledore, so nothing is certain yet. Naturally, HBO declined to confirm the casting news, saying in a statement,  “We appreciate that such a high-profile series will draw a lot of rumor and speculation,” the network said in a statement. “As we make our way through pre-production, we will only confirm details as we finalize deals.”

Though Paapa Essiedu is rumored to be a contender to play Potions teacher Severus Snape, no other casting has been announced. Last fall, HBO parent studio Warner Bros. held an open casting call for actors aged 9-11 to play the roles of young Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley, among other students.