Summary
Recent reports have teased the episode count for HBO’s upcomingHarry PotterTV series, and the scoop has also revealed surprising casting details concerning one of the most iconic villains in history, Lord Voldemort. TheHarry Potterreboot was announced back in 2021, a decade after the release of the final original movie,Deathly Hallows Part 2. The project is eyeing a 2027 debut with filming currently underway, and since fans have a long wait ahead of them, insider information and set photos are keeping excitement at an all-time high.
Fans are understandably divided on the reboot, especially regarding new casting, and several of their beloved characters have already been recast with fresh faces for a new generation. John Lithgow, Janet McTeer, and Paapa Essiedu have already been confirmed to play Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Severus Snape, alongside thegolden trio casting of leads Harry, Ron, and Hermione. There’s still a long way to go until the full roster is complete, but one character’s casting is still shrouded in mystery, and it’s the main antagonist of the franchise.
Rumor Suggests Harry Potter Reboot Will Have Eight Episodes Per Season and Voldemort Has Already Been Cast
Reported by Redanian Intelligence, the initial scoop from an unnamed source suggested the first two seasons of the reboot would be six episodes long, with succeeding seasons possibly increasing to eight. The original report has since been deleted, but reliable leaker Daniel Richtman later confirmed that both seasons 1 and 2 would be eight episodes each, with both runs being filmed back to back to adapt The Boy Who Lived arc once again. Inevitably, some of the reboot’s choices have been the subject of backlash, includingfans’ disappointment at seeing Nick Frost’s Hagridfor the first time, but recent casting rumors regarding Voldemort have caught the community’s attention.
Both the since-deleted report and Richtman’s scoop also claimed the role of Voldemort had already been cast. Details suggested the antagonist could appear in multiple, earlier episodes, which is surprising since Voldemort only had a brief appearance in the firstPhilosopher’s Stonefilm, before debuting in full duringGoblet of Fire, the fourth entry in the cinematic series. In the interim, the fantasy community has been hard at work fan-casting the next He Who Must Not Be Named, including oneHarry Potterdirector who tossed a prolific actor’s name in the sorting hat. However, most are still very attached to the original films’ noseless sorcerer.
Playing the Dark Lord in four of the eight original films,Ralph Fiennes recently offered advice to the next Voldemort actor, and it makes sense why HBO is keeping the reimagined villain’s reveal until later, perhaps up until the character’s unveiling in the series. The source material describes Voldemort as having a skeletal structure, pale features, a snake-like nose, and feline eyes, which were brought to life somewhat in Fiennes’ rendition. One actor who’s made a name for himself playing impressive, prosthetic villains isNosferatuandITperformer Bill Skarsgard, or perhaps HBO will go down the fan-favorite route and getPeaky BlindersandOppenheimerstar Cillian Murphy on board.
