Cillian Murphy Comments on Voldemort Casting in HBO’s Upcoming ‘Harry Potter’ Show

Cillian Murphy has cleared up the fan rumors that he might play Voldemort in the upcoming HBO Harry Potter TV series.

The actor spoke about the speculation during Thursday’s episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast with host Josh Horowitz.

Murphy said the rumors aren’t true. “No, my kids show me it occasionally, but no, I don’t know anything about that. I mean, also, it’s just really hard to follow anything Ralph Fiennes does. The man is an absolute acting legend. So, good luck to whoever is going to fill those shoes,” he explained.

Fiennes famously played Voldemort in the original Harry Potter films.

The new TV series is set to debut on HBO and HBO Max in 2027. Dominic McLaughlin has been cast as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton will play Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout is set to portray Ron Weasley. Each of J.K. Rowling’s seven books is expected to have its own season.

Murphy also shared a bit about his upcoming projects. He stars in the Netflix film Steve, which will premiere on October 3. He’s also involved in the Peaky Blinders movie, The Immortal Man, coming to theaters in 2026, as well as the sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, set for a January 2026 release.

It’s no surprise that fans immediately imagined Murphy as Voldemort. He’s a talented actor, and Ralph Fiennes set a high bar. Still, it’s exciting to see a new cast bring the Harry Potter story to life in a fresh way for HBO. What do you think of the new series casting? Share your thoughts in the comments.