Since it was first announced back in 2023, the upcoming Harry Potter TV show has been one of the most anticipated series for wizards, witches, and muggles alike. This is especially true in recent weeks, as all those casting announcements, the various first-look images, and other details about the forthcoming book-to-screen adaptation that’ll one day be available for anyone with an HBO Max subscription.
Though Professor Dumbledore, Hagrid, and even “The Boy Who Lived” have all been revealed, there is still one major character from J.K. Rowling’s beloved series of fantasy novels that has not yet been announced: Lord Voldemort, a.k.a. “He Who Must Not Be Named.” The identity of the actor who’ll be the main antagonist from the books and Harry Potter film franchise remains one of the biggest mysteries surrounding the HBO series, but that hasn’t stopped fans from coming up with some wild ideas for the casting.
Here are a few of the names I’ve seen come up the most…
HBO Has Reportedly Cast 'He Who Must Not Be Named' But Won't Announce The Actor Before The Premiere
Before we get into all the actors fans want to see play Voldemort in the Harry Potter TV show, there’s something we should probably go over first. In July 2025, online fantasy blog Redanian Intelligence (via Comic Book Resource), in a post that's since been removed, claimed that HBO and Warner Bros. have reportedly already cast the lead villain for the upcoming series, but that the powers that be aren’t going to be revealing the actor’s name anytime soon. It sounds like they want to keep it a secret until the show premieres at some point in 2027 in order to prevent any early leaks from ruining the surprise.
This information is not confirmed, and should be taken with a grain of salt, as it could all be a big nothing-burger, both in terms of the role already being cast and HBO’s insistence on keeping it a secret. Regardless, it sounds like it will be a while before we learn who will be succeeding Ralph Fiennes by playing “He Who Must Not Be Named.”
With that out of the way…
Some Fans Think Cillian Murphy Should Play The Role
When it comes to who people on social media think would be a great choice to take over the role of Lord Voldemort, Cillian Murphy is one of the names that comes up the most. The Academy Award-winning actor, who has appeared in everything from the global phenomenon that was Oppenheimer to 28 Days Later (he’s also slated to return to the franchise soon), is no stranger when it comes to playing charismatic villains. Over the years, he’s brought to life those like Dr. Jonathan Crane, a.k.a. Scarecrow, in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, as well as Jackson Rippner in Wes Craven’s frighteningly intense Red Eye.
In a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, people were quick to respond that they would love to see Murphy play the evil wizard, with multiple commenters saying he’d be perfect for the role. They're not alone, as Ralph Fiennes himself explained on Watch What Happens Live in late 2024 that he “would be all in favor of Cillian” taking over the role.
Others Hope For Tom Hiddleston
Though Murphy is the actor who comes up the most whenever the question about Voldemort comes up on social media, he’s not alone. Another name that seems to come up a lot is Tom Hiddleston, who would honestly do a fantastic job of portraying him. Over on Reddit, someone even went as far as to create concept art showing the Loki actor portraying “He Who Must Not Be Named,” which is honestly quite terrifying.
There’s another Reddit post where some fans thought it would be cool to see Hiddleston take on the part, but they’re having a hard time imagining how it would look to see his face on the back of Professor Quirrell’s head in the season adapting Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. However, visual effects technology has vastly improved since the movie came out nearly 25 years ago.
Matt Smith Is Another Name People Keep Bringing Up
Similar to how there are James Bond betting odds when it comes to who’ll play 007 in the future, sites like Gambling.com have all kinds of odds for who’ll be taking on the role of Lord Voldemort. Just behind Murphy and Hiddleston is Matt Smith, who is no stranger to fantasy series or HBO productions, having appeared in House of the Dragon. In July 2025, the Doctor Who and The Crown actor had 5/2 odds, beating out the likes of Benedict Cumberbatch and fellow Time Lord, David Tennant.
While Smith’s look in HOTD makes the Daemon Targaryen actor look more like a better fit to play Lucius Malfoy, the infamous Death Eater is already being portrayed by Johnny Flynn of Emma. and The Outfit fame.
But One Of The Wildest Theories Is That Voldemort Will Be A Woman This Time
One of the wildest casting theories going around the internet is one that sees Voldemort being portrayed by a woman this time around. A user on X posted in July 2025 that they think the show’s producers have changed the gender of the evil wizard, which would certainly shake things up.
While that would make the show even more interesting, it doesn’t seem likely, as the series is being teased as a more faithful adaptation of the novels. Whether or not that means keeping genders the same this time around is anyone’s guess.
Regardless, The Harry Potter TV Show Casting Has Been Superb So Far, And There's Reason To Believe It'll Be The Same For Voldemort
Regardless of the Lord Voldemort casting, it sounds like the new Harry Potter TV series is going to be one of the biggest shows in recent history, and perhaps of all time. With an amazing cast of talented actors and newcomers alike, it’s hard to imagine the powers that be not going all out and doing something magical when it comes to the big bad of the series.
With a massive scale that’s reportedly comparable to Game of Thrones, a season per book for exploring the ins and outs of the beloved fantasy novels, and so much anticipation leading up to its release, it sounds like we’re in for one wild ride come 2027.
Expect to hear much more about the Harry Potter TV show, both in terms of all its casting decisions and ongoing production, in the weeks and months to come.
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