Ralph Fiennes Gives Thumbs Up to Murphy as Voldemort

Ralph Fiennes, who famously portrayed Voldemort in the majority of the Harry Potter films, recently shared his thoughts on the idea of Cillian Murphy taking on the iconic role in HBO’s upcoming TV series. During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live, Fiennes was asked about Murphy's potential casting and responded positively.

“Cillian Murphy is an incredible actor,” Fiennes commented. “I think it’s a brilliant suggestion. I’d fully support him.” Fiennes, best known for his role in Schindler’s List, played Voldemort in four of the eight films in the Harry Potter franchise: Goblet of Fire (2005), Order of the Phoenix (2007), and both parts of Deathly Hallows (2010 and 2011).

In November 2022, Fiennes revealed he would be open to returning to the role if approached. "Absolutely, without question," he told Variety.

In June, HBO revealed that Francesca Gardiner, a producer on Succession and the writer-producer of His Dark Materials, will serve as the showrunner for the new Harry Potter series. The show is generating significant buzz, especially with Mark Mylod, who worked on Succession, attached as an executive producer and director. J.K. Rowling, the author of the Harry Potter books, will also serve as an executive producer.

The series is expected to stay true to the original story, meaning that familiar faces like Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint are unlikely to return.

Imagining Cillian Murphy as Voldemort isn’t a stretch, especially given his past roles as villains such as Scarecrow in the Batman trilogy alongside Christian Bale and as a terrorist in Red Eye.

In the near future, Murphy and Fiennes will both appear in Danny Boyle’s 28 Years Later, the long-awaited sequel to 28 Days Later (2002). The film is set to release on June 20, 2025, and also stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Jodie Comer.

Meanwhile, Murphy is continuing his work on the film continuation of Steven Knight’s popular crime series Peaky Blinders, where he portrays the formidable Thomas Shelby.

As for Fiennes, he’s gaining significant Oscar attention for his role as a conflicted Catholic cardinal in the film Conclave, which is currently showing in theaters and available for rent on Apple TV, Prime Video, and Fandango at Home.