A major Marvel star has spoken on the chances of becoming Harry Potter’s supreme villain!
Production is underway for HBO’s Harry Potter series. It’s a daring move, a new expansion on the J.K. Rowling novels that promises to be more in-depth than the 2001-2011 movie series. The cast is assembled for the first season, a mix of newcomers for Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and established names like John Lithgow as Dumbledore.
Of course, a key casting is going to be for one of the most important roles of the entire saga: Tom Riddle, aka Lord Voldemort. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is one of the greatest villains in all of literature, as the first three books have him spoken of in fearful whispers before he makes his grand return in the fourth book. From there, the war between him and Harry for the survival of the Wizarding World is the backbone of the saga.
In the movies, Voldemort was memorably portrayed by Ralph Fiennes. Trying to top that for the HBO show is going to be a daunting task. Cillian Murphy had been a fan choice, but the actor made it clear he wasn’t going to appear in the role.
Another popular name has been Paul Bettany. The actor who played Vision in the MCU is cited as a great choice for the role, and fans would love to see him take it. Speaking to ScreenRant at the 2026 Saturn Awards, the actor openly addressed the rumors of playing Voldemort.
Paul Bettany may love the Harry Potter IP but he “hasn’t heard anything” about being tapped to play Lord Voldemort… #SaturnAwards pic.twitter.com/b61Q1NAqT2
— Screen Rant (@screenrant) March 8, 2026
"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 would be a good choice for Voldemort. While famous as the Vision, the actor has a long career of eclectic roles from A Knight’s Tale to A Beautiful Mind, Master and Commander: Far Side of the World, Legend, and Solo: A Star Wars Story. The actor is adept at sinking into roles and standing out in any part. He'd shine well in an ensemble piece such as this.
Bettany as Voldemort would be a good match. His role as the Vision proves Bettany could handle the complex makeup and special effects work required, and he’s an expert at playing the villain, such as in Solo. He could bring a mysterious air to this undead monster who’s obsessed with control and making sure wizards rule and sell the part nicely.
If the show adapts one book a season, that means Voldemort won’t appear on screen until season four, which adapts his return in The Goblet of Fire. That means there’s plenty of time for HBO to find an actor for the part, so they don’t have to commit right now. Still, given how much he enjoys the Potter franchise, seeing Bettany taking on the role of this evil wizard would make the show even better.