The witches and wizards of the Harry Potter universe are all pretty careful to avoid saying Voldemort’s name, but in the case of HBO’s upcoming Potter series, they couldn’t call out “He Who Must Not Be Named” even if they wanted to. Despite the book-to-screen adaptation being in production already, no one has yet been announced for the role, and one rumor suggests a huge change from Ralph Fiennes’ version of the villain.
Many changes have already been made to the Wizarding World of the movies (which can be streamed with an HBO Max subscription or Peacock subscription) that will make the Harry Potter TV show “completely different.” According to entertainment blogger Daniel Richtman (via Sci-Fi & Fantasy Gazette), we might be seeing Lord Voldemort in a whole new way come 2027 — or should I say Lady Voldemort? According to Richtman:
For the Harry Potter show, they’re auditioning both men and women for Voldemort, so it’s possible we could see a female Voldemort in the series.
Ralph Fiennes’ portrayal of Harry Potter’s nemesis is so iconic that casting a woman in the role might go a long way in avoiding comparisons between the two. The report that women are being included in the Voldemort audition process doesn’t necessarily mean a woman will be cast, but it’s an interesting idea, to say the least.
Some fans do tend to get a bit touchy when changes are made to familiar characters, though. Just look at the criticism Paapa Essiedu has received since he was cast as Severus Snape, who was previously portrayed by the late Alan Rickman.
There were rumors a couple of months ago that You-Know-Who had been cast, but that The Powers That Be were keeping He Who Must Not Be Named’s identity under wraps until the premiere. Whether or not that plays out, fans had some wild ideas about who could play Voldemort.
Cillian Murphy seemed like a fan-favorite choice, but the Oppenheimer star shut down those rumors. Tom Hiddleston was another option, and it’s probably not because his name is already so close to Tom Riddle. Whatever decision is made is likely to be pleasing to many fans, if the rest of the cast is any indication.
Dominic McLaughlin is simply adorable as the new Harry Potter. Meanwhile, Arabella Stanton proved she can pull off the perfect Hermione Granger while reciting one of her character’s most iconic lines.
Other actors joining the Wizarding World for the HBO series include John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid and newcomer Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. I’m excited for any tidbit we can get that's coming out of the upcoming series, as well as everything else that’s headed to the Harry Potter universe. The big question is just how long will we have to wait to find out who’s playing Voldemort?
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