John Lithgow Returning to Broadway as Roald Dahl in Giant

John Lithgow is stepping into the shoes of one of the world’s most famous storytellers.

The two-time Tony Award winner, 79, will star as author Roald Dahl in Giant, a new play by Mark Rosenblatt that transfers to Broadway following sold-out runs on London’s West End and at the Royal Court Theatre.

Directed by two-time Tony winner Nicholas Hytner, the Olivier Award-winning drama will begin previews on March 11, 2026, at a Shubert theater to be announced, for a strictly limited 16-week engagement.

Further casting, design team and opening night details for Giant will be announced at a later date.

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Giant revisits a pivotal moment in the life of Dahl, whose beloved books — from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach to Matilda and The BFG — have enchanted generations of young readers and inspired blockbuster stage and screen adaptations.

But while his stories have stood the test of time, Dahl himself has long been a complicated figure. Over the years, his legacy has been clouded by reports of difficult behavior, as well as the author’s own history of antisemitic remarks, which his family publicly apologized for in 2020.

The play explores Dahl at a moment of crisis, asking questions about creativity, accountability and redemption.

“A world-famous children’s author under threat. A battle of wills in the wake of scandal. And one chance to make amends,” a longline for the show reads.

Lithgow, who won an Olivier Award for his performance in London, said the role is unlike anything he’s ever played.

“I play the central character of Roald Dahl, a man of dizzying complexity, on a day of crisis in his life,” Lithgow said in a statement. “The story takes place forty years ago, but it resonates powerfully with events of our present day. No play I’ve ever been in has had such an impact on audiences.”

“Being a part of Giant from its inception has been the most challenging and exciting stage experience of my career,” he said. “I am so proud and honored to play this part.”

Playwright Rosenblatt called the Broadway transfer “truly life-changing” and “the stuff of dreams,” noting he first wrote Giant “in spec in my kitchen with no assurance it would ever get produced at all.”

Director Nicholas Hytner added: “It’s a great privilege to be on Broadway with this superb play and to be working again with John Lithgow, one of the English-speaking world’s greatest actors.”

Lithgow’s decades-long career has spanned film (The World According to Garp, Conclave), television (3rd Rock from the Sun, Dexter, The Crown), and 25 Broadway appearances. This will mark his first time on Broadway since 2019s Hillary and Clinton.

He won his two Tony Awards for his leading actor work in the 2002 musical Sweet Smell of Success, and his featured actor work in the 1973 play The Changing Room.

Meanwhile, Lithgow will also soon return to the screen in another iconic literary figure: Albus Dumbledore. He’s set to play the legendary Hogwarts headmaster in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series, a highly anticipated reimagining of J.K. Rowling’s books. Filming is now underway, with the show expected to be released in 2027.

Tickets for Giant will go on sale to the public in October.