The wizarding world is buzzing after reports claimed HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter series may gender-swap its most infamous villain. Industry tipster Daniel Richtman posted on X that both men and women have auditioned to play Lord Voldemort — but offered no source for the claim.
Fans quickly split into camps. Critics blasted the move as unnecessary “wokeness,” with comments like “Don’t make it woke” and “DEI crap needn’t be inserted everywhere.” Others shrugged off the idea or speculated how J.K. Rowling might react, given her history of controversial remarks about gender issues.
HBO hasn’t confirmed who’s playing Voldemort yet. The rest of the cast is set: Dominic McLaughlin as Harry, Alastair Stout as Ron, Arabella Stanton as Hermione, John Lithgow as Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Snape, Janet McTeer as McGonagall and Nick Frost as Hagrid.
Filming started in July, with the series slated to premiere on HBO and Max in 2027.
