Cillian Murphy dodges casting confirmation in new Harry Potter TV series as Warner Bros. fuels speculation over who will play Voldemort.
Is the Dark Lord returning with a new face? As Warner Bros. continues to build buzz around its upcoming Harry Potter TV reboot for HBO, one name has captured fans’ imaginations: Cillian Murphy. While casting news has slowly trickled out, a cryptic response from Warner Bros. CEO Channing Dungey during a recent interview has reignited speculation that the Oppenheimer star may be the top contender to play Lord Voldemort—and fans are ready for it.
Among the most anticipated TV events in the next few years, the new Harry Potter series has been a hot topic ever since it was officially announced. Set to retell J.K. Rowling’s beloved book series in longform TV format, the project is moving steadily through early development. Though Warner Bros. has yet to reveal who will play the trio of Harry, Hermione, and Ron, some of the supporting cast is already taking shape.
As first reported by Deadline, heavy-hitters like John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, Paapa Essiedu, and Nick Frost are either confirmed or in negotiations to play major roles including Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and Hagrid, respectively.
But when Deadline asked Dungey about the big bad himself—Voldemort—she revealed little. “We’re still weighing a couple of different options,” she said. “So we’re not quite ready there yet.”
It was her reaction to a follow-up question, however, that really set the fandom ablaze.
When asked directly about the rumors linking Cillian Murphy to the role of Voldemort, Dungey laughed and repeated, “I have no comment, no comment, no comment.” The triple deflection may not seem like much, but for fans and industry watchers, it was a carefully calculated pivot that only added fuel to the fire.
Cillian Murphy, fresh off his Oscar-winning performance in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, has long been a fan-favorite fantasy pick for Voldemort thanks to his chilling intensity and ability to balance menace with nuance. He’s also previously been rumored for another role in the Harry Potter universe—though that speculation has remained unconfirmed.
With production still in early stages and no official casting announcements for Voldemort or the series leads, Cillian Murphy remains firmly in the realm of speculation. But for many fans, Dungey’s non-answer spoke volumes.
Whether it’s through subtle clues or official reveals, the road to the next iteration of Harry Potter is shaping up to be as twisty and thrilling as the books themselves. And if Cillian Murphy does end up donning the robes of the Dark Lord, expect the fandom to erupt like a wand duel in the Great Hall.
