Cillian Murphy Addresses Harry Potter Casting Rumours
also the third 28 Years Later film.
According to The Times, Cillian Murphy has addressed his return to the 28 Days Later horror franchise, as well as commenting on speculation that he will be joining the cast of the TV series re-telling of the Harry Potter books.
After first appearing in 2001’s influential horror 28 Days Later (dir. Danny Boyle) as the leading man Jim battling for survival in a world brought to its knees in 28 days by a vicious rage virus, the actor had die-hard cult fans cheering out of their seats when he unexpectedly returned in the recent installment 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (dir. Nia Da Costa, a direct sequel to 2025’s 28 Years Later) last year.
After being asked further on the confirmed sequel, Murphy affirmed he “hopes” it will be coming along and that “I’m ready anyway.”
The sequel will conclude the updated timeline in the 28 Days Later franchise and was confirmed following the success of the second film.
When asked if he would appear in the upcoming HBO adaptation of J.K Rowling’s fantasy book series Harry Potter as the villain wizard Lord Voldemort, Murphy stated firmly, “I’m categorically not.”
Rumours circulated following a January TikTok clip of original Voldemort actor Ralph Fiennes (who also stars in the 28 Years Later timeline of the horror franchise), where he shared with Let’s Talk Film: “I’m told [my shoes] are already filled, aren’t they? I think Cillian Murphy is very good. A very good choice.”
“Being a personality is not what I am good at. But then existing in this world? Talking about yourself, going on f***ing red carpets?” Murphy added when addressing the rumour. “It’s not healthy if you start to believe this shit, and I’m really bad at it too. I’m an incredibly average person, really.”
The Harry Potter series will be the second adaptation of the original books, following the monumental and culturally significant film series by Warner Bros., released from 2001 to 2011 and comprising eight films based on the seven books. The franchise as a whole grossed $7.7 billion from a collective budget of $1.2 billion, making it the fourth-highest-grossing film series behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man, and Star Wars.
The original film series spawned a spin-off series titled Fantastic Beasts, comprising three films released from 2016 to 2022.
The HBO Harry Potter series will star newcomers Dominic McLaughlin (Harry Potter), Alastair Stout (Ron Weasley), and Arabella Stanton (Hermione Granger). Additional cast members include John Lithgow (Albus Dumbledore), Janet McTeer (Minerva McGonagall), Paapa Essiedu (Severus Snape), and Nick Frost (Rubeus Hagrid).
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