HBO’s 'Harry Potter' Officially Casts Voldemort

HBO Published Sep 4, 2026, 11:01 AM EDT Chris is a Senior News Writer for Collider. He can be found in an IMAX screen, with his eyes watering and his ears bleeding for his own pleasure. He joined the news team in 2022 and accidentally fell upwards into a senior position despite his best efforts. For reasons unknown, he enjoys analyzing box office receipts, giant sharks, and has become known as the go-to man for all things Bosch, Mission: Impossible and Christopher Nolan in Collider's news division. Recently, he found himself yeehawing along to the Dutton saga on the Yellowstone Ranch. He is proficient in sarcasm, wit, Photoshop and working unfeasibly long hours. Amongst his passions sit the likes of the history of the Walt Disney Company, the construction of theme parks, steam trains and binge-watching Gilmore Girls with a coffee that is just hot enough to scald him. His obsession with the Apple TV+ series Silo is the subject of mockery within the Senior News channel, where his feelings about Taylor Sheridan's work are enough to make his fellow writers roll their eyes. Sign in to your Collider account The most famous Dark Wizard in history is getting closer to our screens. The colorful lure of Harry Potter gets us excited, but for every hero there must be an equally iconic villain, and Lord Voldemort is up there. HBO has remained remarkably secretive about who will portray the adult Voldemort in its new adaptation, but we now know who will play at least one incarnation of the character. Long before he became He Who Must Not Be Named, he was Tom Riddle, an exceptionally gifted, handsome Hogwarts student whose obsession with defying death itself eventually transformed him into Mouldy Voldy, and now, HBO has officially cast Billy Barratt (Invasion) as Tom Riddle in Harry Potter Season 2. Barratt is one of three huge new casting additions for Season 2, alongside Lenny Rush and Bonnie Hill, who will play Dobby and Ginny Weasley, respectively. Riddle becomes an important part of the story in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, initially appearing as a seemingly helpful Hogwarts student preserved within an enchanted diary that initially targets Ginny. Harry eventually discovered that the spooky diary was actually a younger version of Voldemort, with Tom Marvolo Riddle famously becoming an anagram of “I am Lord Voldemort.” The role was played by Christian Coulson in the original Chamber of Secrets movie, while Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Frank Dillane subsequently portrayed younger versions of Riddle in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Who Stars in 'Harry Potter'? They will join a sprawling cast led by Dominic McLaughlin (Grow) as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton (Matilda) as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout as Ron Weasley. John Lithgow (Conclave) stars as Albus Dumbledore, Janet McTeer (Ozark) as Minerva McGonagall, Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You) as Severus Snape, and Nick Frost (Hot Fuzz) as Rubeus Hagrid. Season 2 will also introduce Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) as Gilderoy Lockhart, while Katherine Parkinson, Johnny Flynn, Warwick Davis, and Bertie Carvel are among the previously announced supporting cast. The series is written and executive produced by Francesca Gardiner (His Dark Materials), with Mark Mylod(Succession) executive producing and directing multiple episodes. Harry Potter Season 1 will premiere on HBO and HBO Max on Christmas Day, with Season 2 already in development. Release Date 2026 - 2026 Showrunner Francisca Gardiner Directors Mark Mylod Cast Dominic McLaughlin Harry Potter Writers Francesca Gardiner Franchise(s) Harry Potter