Paul Bettany has addressed rumours that he is in the running to play Lord Voldemort in HBO's upcoming 'Harry Potter' television series, stating that he has not been contacted about the role. The 'WandaVision' actor told ScreenRant: 'I haven't heard anything about that. I mean, I'm a big fan of the IP and I'm a big fan of HBO, but nobody has called me up about it.'
Bettany joins a list of speculated contenders for the iconic villain, which also includes Cillian Murphy and Tilda Swinton. The role was originally portrayed by Ralph Fiennes in the film franchise. Voldemort does not feature heavily until later in the book series, making it one of the largest roles yet to be cast.
The new adaptation, based on J.K. Rowling's novels, is set for a seven-season run on HBO, with filming already underway in the UK. The series will introduce new actors in key roles: Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley, and Lox Pratt as Draco Malfoy.
Additional casting includes John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape, Janet McTeer as Minerva McGonagall, and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. Last week, the Gryffindor Quidditch team was announced, featuring Orson Matthews, Ethan Smith, Asha Soetan, Eire Farrell, and Serrana Su-Ling Bliss.
The series is expected to launch in 2027 on HBO Max, with Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming boss JB Perrette calling it the 'streaming event of the decade'.
