HBO Casts Voldemort for ‘Harry Potter’ Reboot

Warner Bros. Discovery has confirmed the principal cast for the new television adaptation. The production cast several young leads after a broad open casting call.

Confirmed principal cast

• Dominic McLaughlin will play Harry Potter.
• Alastair Stout is cast as Ron Weasley.
• Arabella Stanton will portray Hermione Granger.
• John Lithgow will play Albus Dumbledore.
• Janet McTeer will portray Minerva McGonagall.
• Paapa Essiedu is cast as Severus Snape.
• Nick Frost will play Rubeus Hagrid.
• Paul Whitehouse will portray Argus Filch.
• Luke Thallon is cast as Professor Quirrell.
• Katherine Parkinson will play Molly Weasley.
• Johnny Flynn will portray Lucius Malfoy.

The child roles were selected from an open call. More than 30,000 children reportedly auditioned.

Voldemort casting remains unresolved

The actor for Lord Voldemort has not been officially announced. Ralph Fiennes previously played the character in the films.

Names have circulated online. Reported possibilities included Cillian Murphy, Paul Bettany, Tilda Swinton, and Tom Hiddleston.

Cillian Murphy publicly denied involvement. HBO chief Casey Bloys told Variety the role is not yet cast.

Social media sparks speculation

Fans noticed several young cast members following actor Owen Cooper on Instagram. Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, and Lox Pratt were among those followers.

Cooper is 16 years old. He earned attention for an award-winning role as Jamie Miller in Netflix’s Adolescence.

He also played the younger version of Jacob Elordi’s character in Wuthering Heights, released in 2026. Some viewers see him as age-appropriate for the teenage Tom Riddle role.

Tom Riddle’s role in the story

Tom Riddle first appears through a magical diary in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. The diary preserves a teenage memory that manipulates Ginny Weasley and reopens the Chamber.

In the story, the diary releases a basilisk and reveals Riddle as the young Lord Voldemort. The character later resurfaces in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince through memories.

Riddle creates Horcruxes that drive the final books’ conflict. Several formative scenes about his past were omitted from the earlier films.

Omitted material includes Riddle’s childhood at Wool’s Orphanage, his influence over other children, his employment at Borgin and Burkes, and the murder of Hepzibah Smith. Those events explain his creation of Horcruxes.

Previous screen portrayals

• Christian Coulson played teenage Tom Riddle in Chamber of Secrets (2002).
• Frank Dillane and Hero Fiennes Tiffin portrayed younger versions in Half-Blood Prince (2009).
• Hero Fiennes Tiffin is the nephew of Ralph Fiennes.

Production timeline and secrecy

Casey Bloys confirmed work has begun on season two. The series will not release on an annual schedule.

Producers plan to film installments in close succession. That approach reduces the impact of the child actors aging between seasons.

HBO has not officially addressed the recent casting rumors. Reports indicate the studio may withhold the Voldemort actor’s identity until the character appears on screen.

Filmogaz.com will continue to monitor official announcements and casting developments. Updates will follow as the studio confirms further details.