Warner Bros. addresses buzz around Peaky Blinders star Cillian Murphy taking over as Voldemort

For months, rumor mills have been abuzz with news of actor Cillian Murphy's alleged association with the upcoming Harry Potter series. Not only that, he has also been rumored to play one of the pivotal characters from the novel franchise it is based on, that of the main antagonist, Lord Voldemort. Additionally, it has also been rumored that he could play another popular character from the franchise, Professor Quirinus Quirrell.

Now, Channing Dungey, chairperson of Warner Bros. Television in a conversation with Deadline (article published on March 11, 2025) is responding to the Cillian Murphy casting rumors. When asked about the Peaky Blinders actor's alleged association with the upcoming Harry Potter Project, she neither denied nor confirmed the news. She said:

"I have no comment, no comment, no comment."

---

Has Cillian Murphy been finalized to play Voldemort in the upcoming Harry Potter television series?

Cillian Murphy is rumored to be playing Lord Voldemort in the upcoming Harry Potter series (Image via Getty)

As previously mentioned, while speaking to Deadline, Channing Dungey expressed ambiguity regarding Cillian Murphy's casting in the upcoming Harry Potter series. While opting for a "no comment" response, she revealed that they were still in the process of finalizing the actor who would play Voldemort. Highlighting the importance of getting the role "right," she said:

".....we are still weighing a couple of different options there, so we’re not quite ready there yet. That’s an important role to get right.

---

Is the rest of the cast for the Harry Potter series confirmed?

Details about the cast of the upcoming Harry Potter series have not been divulged yet. The only actor who confirmed his association with the project is John Lithgow who during a conversation with Screen Rant on February 26, 2025, confirmed that he had accepted the role of Professor Albus Dumbledore from Warner Bros.

"Well, it came as a total surprise to me. I just got the phone call up at the Sundance Film Festival for yet another film, and it was not an easy decision because it's going to define me for the last chapter of my life, I'm afraid," he said during the interview.

He also added:

"But I'm very excited. Some wonderful people are turning their attention back to Harry Potter. That's why it's been such a hard decision. I'll be about 87 years old at the wrap party, but I've said yes."

Having said that there are also rumors that Janet McTeer and Paapa Essiedu are being roped in to play Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall respectively. The rumors also suggest that they are on the verge of finalizing their deals. However, as of this writing, there has been no confirmation concerning their association with the project.

---

About Cillian Murphy

Actor and producer Cillian Murphy was born on May 25, 1976, in Douglas, Cork. As per GQ, he registered for a law degree at University College Cork but dropped out later. As per The Independent, Murphy was a performing musician during his college years and had a band with his brother, Páidi.

In 1996, Murphy began to appear on stage at theater productions, and his first production was Disco Pigs where he portrayed the character of Darren/Pig. He then transitioned to onscreen roles with his initial appearance being in the 1977 short film Quando.

From then on, he was a part of both onscreen (television and film) and onstage performances. Some of the onscreen works he is most famous for being a part of are Batman Begins (2005), Breakfast on Pluto (2005), Peaky Blinders (2013- 2022), and Oppenheimer (2023). For portraying J. Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy received numerous awards such as the Oscar for Best Actor at the 2024 Academy Awards.

---

Stay updated on the latest trends in TV shows and movies as 2025 progresses.