Fans of Cillian Murphy were left disappointed after the Irish actor dismissed ongoing rumors linking him to the role of Voldemort in the upcoming Harry Potter HBO series.
The beloved Harry Potter franchise, based on J.K. Rowling’s bestselling novels, is being reimagined as a long-form television series by HBO. For months, speculation has swirled online that Murphy, fresh off his Academy Award-winning performance in Oppenheimer, might step into the shoes of the Dark Lord.
However, during a recent appearance on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast, the 49-year-old actor finally addressed the chatter—and shut it down.
When asked about the possibility of playing Lord Voldemort, Murphy laughed before clarifying, “I don’t know anything about that.” He added that while his children had shown him the online buzz from fans, there was no truth to the speculation.
Murphy also acknowledged the challenge of following in the footsteps of Ralph Fiennes, who famously portrayed Voldemort in eight Harry Potter films. “It’s just really hard to follow anything Ralph Fiennes does,” Murphy admitted. Praising the actor, he continued, “The man is an absolute acting legend, so good luck to whoever’s gonna fill those shoes.”
The denial may come as a blow to fans who hoped to see Murphy take on the villainous role, but his upcoming projects ensure audiences will see plenty of him on screen.
Murphy is set to return to cinemas with Steve, releasing on September 19, 2025. Looking ahead to 2026, the actor has two major projects lined up: the post-apocalyptic horror film 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and the epic crime drama The Immortal Man.
While Murphy won’t be casting spells in Hogwarts’ halls anytime soon, his slate of upcoming films is keeping anticipation high. As for the Harry Potter HBO reboot, fans will have to wait to see who ultimately takes on the challenge of portraying Lord Voldemort in the new series.