2
Credit: Inside the MagicThe Harry Potter TV series is moving full steam ahead like the Hogwarts Express. Season 1 is in production and is set to stream sometime in 2027. But while some castings have been kept in the dark, it now looks like the new actor playing Lord Voldemort has been revealed.
Over the past year, Warner Bros. and HBO have announced several actors for the upcoming seven-season adaptation of JK Rowling’s best-selling novels, including Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger.
Will Voldemort Be Played by a Female Actor?
While most of the characters (at least those who will be appearing in Season 1) were revealed some time ago now, there’s one who’s been shrouded in secrecy the whole time. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if some fans have dubbed that person He-Who-Has–Not-Been-Named.
Naturally, fan-castings and speculation have kept Potterheads busy. It was even reported by an industry insider that Warner Bros. and HBO were auditioning “men and women” for the role of Voldemort, which saw names like Cynthia Erivo and Tilda Swinton thrown around.
Related: ‘Harry Potter’ Fans React To Female Lord Voldemort Casting
The New Voldemort May Have Been Revealed
Now, Ralph Fiennes, the actor who played Tom Riddle/Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter films (Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, Deathly Hallows Part 1, Deathly Hallows Part 2), may have accidentally spilled the beans on who his successor is in the new reboot series.
During a red carpet appearance for his latest film 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, the fourth entry in the 28 series, Fiennes, 63, was asked about who might follow in his footsteps in the Harry Potter remake. “Well, I’m told they’re already filled, aren’t they?” he responded.
The interviewer asked Fiennes again, “Who do you think it should be?” Then, the Grand Budapest Hotel actor made a surprising name-drop, saying, “I’ve already said, I think Cillian Murphy is very good. Very good. Very good choice. I think they’ve cast it, haven’t they?”
Fiennes then appears to turn to his team, saying, “Oh, I don’t know, I thought they had.”
Cillian Murphy Has Denied the Rumors
This isn’t the first time Cillian Murphy, who has a cameo in The Bone Temple after starring in the original 2002 film, has been thrown into the mix where Voldemort is concerned. However, recently, on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, he denied rumors he’d been cast.
Either way, Murphy would make an excellent Voldemort in the new series. The Oppenheimer actor is no stranger to villainous roles, having played the Scarecrow in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy and Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders.
Of course, it’s possible Fiennes may have simply been referring to those same rumors. Or maybe he suddenly can’t get Hagrid out of his head given the friendly half-giant’s famous line in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: “I probably shouldn’t have said that…”
The clip was shared by the Lets Talk Movies account on TikTok.
The Harry Potter TV Series
The Harry Potter TV series is now in production. John Lithgow (Albus Dumbledore), Nick Frost (Rubeus Hagrid), Janet McTeer (Minerva McGonagall), Paul Whitehouse (Argus Filch), Katherine Parkinson (Molly Weasley), Alastair Stout (Ron Weasley), and Dominic McLaughlin (Harry Potter) are among its extensive cast.
Warner Bros. and HBO have not confirmed any Lord Voldemort casting.
It’s written and executive-produced by showrunner Francesca Gardiner (HBO’s Succession, His Dark Materials, Killing Eve). J.K. Rowling, Neil Blair, and Ruth Kenley-Letts of Brontë Film and TV, and David Heyman of Heyday Films are also onboard as executive producers.
Mark Mylod (Succession, Game of Thrones, The Last of Us) will executive-produce and direct multiple episodes. Season 1 is expected to premiere in 2027.
Do you think Cillian Murphy is playing Voldemort? Share your thoughts with us in the comments down below!