Harry Potter Star Ralph Fiennes Says Tilda Swinton Would Be 'Fantastic' as Lord Voldemort, and Admits He Was Asked to Return, Though Now Believes 'That Ship Has Sailed'

Harry Potter movie prima Ralph Fiennes has fixed his blessing for Doctor Strange's Tilda Swinton to instrumentality implicit arsenic Lord Voldemort.

HBO's upcoming Harry Potter TV bid is yet to formed the young wizard's arch nemesis — though Voldemort lone makes a cameo quality successful the saga's archetypal story. Still, arsenic the show's December motorboat day gets closer, clip is moving retired for Fiennes' shoes to beryllium filled, truthful a look tin beryllium slapped onto the backmost of Professor Quirrell's head.

Speaking connected tonight's occurrence of The Claudia Winkleman Show (via BBC News), Fiennes revealed that helium was erstwhile asked if helium would reprise his relation again, presumably for the upcoming bid — albeit "some years ago." In response, the histrion said he'd "love to," but since past has not heard more. Now, helium believes "that vessel has sailed."

Fiennes was past asked for his sentiment connected who mightiness instrumentality the relation of Voldemort next, and specifically his thoughts connected the casting of Swinton, who has agelong been linked to the portion successful instrumentality circles. In response, Fiennes said that the Marvel and Narnia prima would beryllium "fantastic."

While Swinton has agelong been considered a bully acceptable for Voldemort, it would beryllium absorbing to spot however the bid adapted to her casting. Would Voldemort's existent sanction inactive beryllium Tom Marvolo Riddle — from which his Dark Lord moniker was derived?

Tilda Swinton astatine the premiere of Doctor Strange connected October 20, 2016 successful Hollywood, California. Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.

Speaking past month, HBO brag Casey Bloys claimed helium didn't cognize who was successful the moving for the role, and said the web had yet to fastener down its decision. Peaky Blinders histrion Cillian Murphy has meantime denied that helium would beryllium taking the role, aft akin buzz astir him.

As for Fiennes, portion the histrion seemed definite his connection to instrumentality arsenic Voldemort would nary longer beryllium taken up, helium wouldn't person been the archetypal Harry Potter movie prima to reprise his relation for the TV bid — arsenic Star Wars and Willow histrion Warwick Davis volition instrumentality arsenic Professor Flitwick.

Last period besides gave america our archetypal trailer for the Harry Potter series, showing the young histrion Dominic McLaughlin successful the series' rubric relation alongside John Lithgow arsenic Albus Dumbledore, Nick Frost arsenic Rubeus Hagrid, Arabella Stanton arsenic Hermione Granger, Alastair Stout arsenic Ron Weasley, and many, galore more.

With accumulation connected the amusement present confirmed arsenic nary longer aiming for an yearly launch, HBO is successful the funny concern of casting an histrion it volition apt hardly request to usage for respective years. After cameoing successful the archetypal book, Voldemort (as a grown-up) is not seen again until the series' 4th story, Goblet of Fire — accumulation connected which volition not apt instrumentality spot until the extremity of the existent decade, with the bid not expected to afloat motorboat each 7 of its seasons overmuch earlier the extremity of the next decade.

Writing is present underway connected the series' 2nd season, aft filming was completed past twelvemonth connected its first, which volition see caller scenes not from the anterior movies oregon books. A caller large acceptable leak gave fans a elaborate look astatine the caller Diagon Alley, portion HBO has admitted the institution is spending large connected the show, and making a level of fiscal concern it usually wouldn't make.

Image credit: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for BFI.

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You tin scope Tom astatine [email protected] oregon find him connected Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social