As Deadline exclusively reports, Nicholas Hoult, whom movie and TV fans will probably know best for playing Hank McCoy, aka Beast, in the more recent X-Men films, is reportedly being lined up for the role of Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. Gilderoy Lockhart plays an important role in the second Harry Potter book. Hoult recently played a similarly self-important character as Lex Luthor in Superman, which may well have played a role in the casting decision. That has done little to dampen their excitement at the prospect of seeing Hoult as Gilderoy Lockhart, however. Some fans would have preferred Kit Harington as Gilderoy Lockhart, as he voices the character in the new full-cast audiobooks.