The Real Reason Cillian Murphy Won't Play Voldemort in HBO's 'Harry Potter' Series

Cillian Murphy may be one of the most versatile actors of his generation, able to slip into just about any role. Yet there's one part the Oscar winner insists he will never take on: Lord Voldemort, the infamous Dark Lord immortalised by Ralph Fiennes in the Harry Potter films.

Despite persistent fan speculation and casting rumours linking him to the role, Murphy has been quick to set the record straight, and with good reason.

HBO's 'Harry Potter' Series Still Hides Its Dark Lord

HBO has started production on its upcoming Harry Potter series in the UK, and it's all fans can talk about. The new show will take fans back to the beginning with a brand-new cast led by newcomer Dominic McLaughlin in the titular role.

'The series will feature a new cast to lead a new generation of fandom, full of the fantastic detail, much loved characters and dramatic locations that Harry Potter fans have loved for over twenty-five years,' Warner Bros. Discovery said in a statement. 'Each season will be authentic to the original books and bring Harry Potter and these incredible adventures to new audiences around the world.'

In recent months, much of the adult cast has also been revealed, with John Lithgow playing Albus Dumbledore, Nick Frost playing Rubeus Hagrid, and Warwick Davis reprising his role as Professor Filius Flitwick from the Harry Potter films. However, the casting for the role of Lord Voldemort has been kept under wraps.

Why Murphy Refuses to Play Lord Voldemort

Essentially, the last thing Murphy wants is to take on a character that has been associated with Fiennes for years 'I mean, also, it's just really hard to follow anything Ralph Fiennes does,' the Oscar winner explained while speaking with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. 'The man is an absolute acting legend. So, good luck to whoever is going to fill those shoes.'

At the same time, it is also worth noting that Murphy is currently attached to several projects, further complicating a possible involvement with the upcoming Harry Potter project. As of date, Murphy is set to star in a prison movie by La La Land and Whiplash director Damien Chazelle where he may be joined by former James Bond, Daniel Craig.

Aside from this, Murphy may also be hard at work on the mining drama, Blood Runs Coal. In addition, the actor also stars in the upcoming Peaky Blinders movie, The Immortal Man, alongside Rebecca Ferguson and Barry Keoghan. With all these projects, it is unlikely that Murphy would be able to commit to a series.

Ironically, HBO may not need to find a replacement at all. Back in 2022, Fiennes told Variety he would happily reprise the role of the Dark Lord: 'Sure, of course. No question about it.' Whether the studio has approached him since remains a mystery.

HBO's Harry Potter series is set to premiere in 2027 on both HBO and HBO Max.