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.

The sorting hat may just put John Lithgow into the role of Albus Dumbledore as the Oscar nominee is reportedly in final talks for HBO’s “Harry Potter” series.

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.