The identity of the new Lord Voldemort in HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter television series may have just slipped out—courtesy of the man who defined the role on the big screen.
During a red carpet interview for his new film 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, actor Ralph Fiennes was asked who might take over from him as Voldemort in the TV reboot.
And his response has raised eyebrows.
“Well, I’m told they’re already filled, aren’t they?” he said, before adding, “I think Cillian Murphy is very good. Very good. Very good choice. I think they’ve cast it, haven’t they?”
Fiennes then appeared to second-guess himself, turning to his team and saying, “Oh, I don’t know, I thought they had.” The clip, shared by the Lets Talk Movies TikTok account, has reignited speculation that Cillian Murphy has been quietly cast as the Dark Lord.
Related: ‘Harry Potter’ Reboot Keeps Fans Guessing Voldemort’s Gender : Disney Fanatic
Warner Bros. and HBO have not confirmed any Voldemort casting, and Murphy himself recently denied the rumors he’d been cast on the Happy Sad Confused podcast.
Earlier reports suggested Warner Bros. and HBO were auditioning both men and women for the role of Voldemort, which sparked a wave of online backlash. Names like Cynthia Erivo and Tilda Swinton circulated widely, though no official confirmation followed.
Whether Fiennes was repeating industry chatter or genuinely letting something slip is unknown. What is clear is that Voldemort remains the show’s most closely guarded secret.
The new Harry Potter series—planned as a seven-season adaptation of J.K. Rowling’s novels—stars Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger. John Lithgow will play Albus Dumbledore, with Nick Frost as Hagrid and Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall.
Several other actors and their respective characters have also been confirmed.
The series is written and executive-produced by Francesca Gardiner, with Mark Mylod directing multiple episodes.
Harry Potter Season 1 is currently in production and is expected to premiere in 2027.
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