Before he slicked back his platinum blond hair to become Draco’s devilishly charming daddy in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter reboot, Johnny Flynn was already stealing hearts—just with fewer dark marks and more awkward confessions. Yup, the new Lucius Malfoy actor was once the leading man in a hilariously underrated Netflix sitcom.
Long before casting spells, he was tracking down exes after an STI diagnosis. The show was a quirky, heartfelt British gem with a 98% Rotten Tomatoes score, and fans adored it. That is, until Netflix unceremoniously kicked it off the platform in January 2025. Let’s check out what happened.
Johnny Flynn won hearts with his 98% rated Netflix sitcom
Before he got tangled in Death Eater drama and magical politics, English actor Johnny Flynn was just trying to clean up his messy love life on Lovesick. Originally (and hilariously) titled Scrotal Recall, the show followed Flynn as Dylan Witter—a sweet but clueless guy forced to call every woman he ever slept with after testing positive for an STI.
The show was a British sitcom gem that became popular for being equal parts awkward, emotional, and genuinely funny. It first aired on Channel 4 before Netflix saw its potential and gave it a global platform. Later on, the streamer also renewed the show for Seasons 2 and 3, billing them as Netflix Originals, and helping it reach fans far beyond the UK.
Soon, the comedy series, created by Tom Edge, catapulted to worldwide popularity, becoming a fan-favorite binge-watch.
Lovesick thus earned a whopping 98% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and a solid 8.0 rating on IMDb. The show quietly carved out a loyal fan base who fell in love with the soft heartbreak and sharp British humor. But then, heartbreak hit.
Netflix announced that Lovesick would leave the platform on January 1, 2025. Fans barely had time to binge it one last time before it vanished from the library on December 31st (via What’s on Netflix). All three seasons were removed globally, leaving viewers thoroughly disappointed in the streamer’s decision.
Johnny Flynn went from calling exes to casting Morsmordre
Fast forward to 2025, Johnny Flynn is no longer dialing exes with bad news. He’s now waiting to cast dark spells as Lucius Malfoy in HBO’s Harry Potter reboot (via Pottermore). Yup, from STI confessions to pure-blood obsessions, Flynn had a major career glow-up. The British heartthrob, known for his floppy hair and hopeless romantic energy in Lovesick, became the newest addition to the Wizarding World.
Flynn is now stepping into the cold, calculating boots of Lucius Malfoy, taking over the mantle from Jason Isaacs, who previously slayed as the sleek, sinister, and silver-haired Malfoy patriarch in the original films. Gone are the days of teary-eyed love confessions—now it’s all about wand fights, political schemes, and intimidating stares.
However, considering how Jason Isaacs previously delivered the role of Lucius Malfoy with the perfect mix of aristocratic evil and deep-rooted cowardice, Johnny Flynn might face a major challenge in matching that legacy while bringing something fresh. After all, Lucius isn’t just any villain—he’s one of the most complex characters in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter saga.
Therefore, taking on a legacy character like Lucius isn’t easy. And on top of that, there’s the mega spotlight hovering over the series, given that it’s the $9.5B franchise with a massive fanbase.
So, every line, every smirk, every swirl of Johnny Flynn’s wand will be watched under a magnifying glass. But if Flynn manages to deliver a few dark spells with that signature brooding look, he might just turn Lucius Malfoy into the villain we love to hate all over again.
Lovesick is currently streaming in the US on Prime Video.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
