Harry Potter fans divided as HBO reportedly auditioning women to play Voldemort in new series
Report suggests HBO is weighing both male and female actors for the role as filming advances on the 2027 adaptation.
Harry Potter fans reacted with outrage after reports that HBO is auditioning women to play Lord Voldemort as part of a planned 'woke' rebrand for the franchise. The series, slated to stream in 2027, has begun filming. The project has announced casting for several key roles, including 11-year-old Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger. John Lithgow will play Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape and Nick Frost as Hagrid. The status of Voldemort has become a focal point for fans after reports that the role could be recast to include a female actor.
HBO's official accounts on X, formerly Twitter, indicated that the studio is exploring both male and female contenders for Voldemort, signaling a possible gender-bent interpretation for the dark wizard. The posts sparked a flood of social-media reactions, with some fans expressing enthusiasm about a new take and others voicing concern about departures from the established canon. One commenter summarized the split, saying the series might be ruined if Voldemort is radically reimagined, while others welcomed a bold new direction.
Ralph Fiennes originated the role in the film series from 2005 to 2011. The project has also highlighted returns from other figures of the franchise, including Warwick Davis as Professor Filius Flitwick, announced during Back to Hogwarts celebrations. The renewed focus on casting comes as fans await further confirmations about how closely HBO's adaptation will align with J.K. Rowling's books and the long-running film saga.
Reports and reactions cited by Daily Mail reflect circulating social-media debate about the possibility of a female Voldemort and how such a change might fit within the Potter universe. At this time, HBO has not issued an official statement confirming the cast for Voldemort, and the network has provided only a release window of 2027 and word that filming has begun. The series remains part of a broader effort to revive the Potter universe for streaming, with multiple production strands progressing ahead of a formal casting reveal for the series' central antagonist.