Cynthia Erivo as Female Voldemort in HBO's Harry Potter Reboot? Here's What We Know

Over the weekend, the internet tried to manifest a brand-new Dark Lord. Specifically: a rumor that Cynthia Erivo is playing a female Voldemort in HBO's Harry Potter reboot. Let’s separate what actually happened from the chaos.

The rumor that lit the fuse

'BREAKING: Cynthia Erivo is allegedly in talks to play Lord Voldemort in an HBO Harry Potter original series.'

- Posted on X by @dom_lucre, December 3, 2025

That post came with a fan-made poster of Erivo as a glam-sinister Voldemort, pulled more than 1 million views, and kicked off a loud backlash. The problem: there’s no confirmation from HBO, Warner Bros., or Erivo. None. As of now, there’s zero credible evidence this is a thing, and it’s very unlikely HBO is planning a gender-swapped Voldemort with Erivo.

Where this even came from

Back in September 2025, industry tipster Daniel RPK floated that the production was hearing auditions for a 'gender-neutral' take on Voldemort to broaden the casting net and signal diversity. That’s not the same as 'Cynthia Erivo is playing Lady Voldemort,' but the internet connected those dots anyway. Fact-checks since have pegged the Erivo/Voldemort chatter as exactly what it looks like: a viral rumor built on a fan poster and speculation.

Fans are already fighting about it (over a rumor)

Once that mock poster went wide, replies exploded past 3,300 and splintered into the usual camps. Some folks pleaded with J.K. Rowling not to let the character be changed. Others said they’d tolerated earlier imagined changes (one user cited a hypothetical Black Snape) but drew the line at a female Voldemort and vowed to skip the show if it happened. A few blasted Hollywood for 'reimagining' classics instead of making new stories, while another went the satire route and joked that if Hollywood wants swaps, why not cast Tom Hanks as Shaft. There was even a poll-style post asking whether scariness matters more than staying letter-of-the-law canonical. All of this over something that isn’t confirmed to exist.

Meanwhile, a Voldemort we can actually confirm

Matthew Macfadyen has officially been cast as Lord Voldemort in Audible’s new full-cast Harry Potter audio productions. Yes, Mr. Darcy himself. He’s got that cool, measured menace that fits the character, and his delivery echoes the icy rhythm Ralph Fiennes made iconic in the films. That has fans connecting obvious dots: HBO hasn’t announced its live-action Voldemort yet, and Macfadyen already feels like a natural fit.

Could he cross over? It’s not a wild idea. The theory gets extra oxygen from claims that Arabella Stanton, who voices Hermione in the audio project, is also playing Hermione in HBO’s remake. If that crossover holds, Macfadyen would look even more likely. For now, though, HBO is keeping the live-action villain under wraps, which suggests they want that casting reveal to land with a bang.

What to know right now

• An X post on December 3, 2025 claimed Cynthia Erivo is in talks to play a female Voldemort, using a fan-made poster that racked up 1M+ views and strong backlash.
• There is no confirmation from HBO, Warner Bros., or Erivo. The rumor remains unverified and is very likely not real.
• September 2025 chatter (via Daniel RPK) about 'gender-neutral' Voldemort auditions helped fuel the speculation, but did not name Erivo.
• Fan reaction was sharply split, with more than 3,300 replies arguing canon accuracy vs. inclusive casting, plus plenty of jokes and frustration.
• Matthew Macfadyen is officially voicing Voldemort in Audible’s new full-cast audio productions, making him a popular speculative pick for HBO’s series.
• HBO hasn’t announced its live-action Voldemort. Expect a deliberate, high-profile reveal.
• HBO’s Harry Potter reboot is slated for 2026.

Bottom line: don’t expect Cynthia Erivo to slither into Voldemort’s robes on HBO. If the show goes unconventional with the Dark Lord, we’ll know when they want us to know. Until then, who would you cast to haunt Hogwarts this time around?