Key keywords: Deadpool, Ryan Reynolds, Lord Voldemort, Harry Potter reboot series, HBO Max, Wizarding World, J.K. Rowling, Tom Riddle Warner Bros. Discovery and HBO Max officially dropped the bombshell casting news on Wednesday, confirming that Ryan Reynolds, best known for his career-defining role as the wisecracking anti-hero Deadpool in the Marvel franchise, will take on the iconic role of Lord Voldemort, the primary antagonist in the upcoming Harry Potter reboot series. The long-awaited live-action series, which has been in development for over two years, is set to adapt each of J.K. Rowling’s seven core Harry Potter novels into separate seasons, promising far deeper adherence to original book details, cut subplots, and minor character arcs that were omitted from the 2000s film franchise. J.K. Rowling is attached as an executive producer for the entire run of the series, and has signed off on all casting decisions to date. Casting directors revealed that Reynolds beat out over 30 other high-profile actors for the role of Voldemort, spanning both his young Tom Riddle era and his fully resurrected dark lord form. "We were looking for someone who could capture the icy, menacing cruelty of the most powerful dark wizard of all time, while also bringing the charismatic, manipulative charm that allowed Tom Riddle to amass his army of Death Eaters in his youth," said HBO head of original content Casey Bloys in the official press release. "Ryan’s range as an actor is vastly underrated by most audiences who only know him from Deadpool. He has repeatedly shown he can nail dramatic, menacing roles in projects like *Buried* and *The Adam Project*, and we have full confidence he will bring a never-before-seen layer of depth to Voldemort." Reynolds took to his social media accounts shortly after the announcement to share his excitement, posting a photo of himself holding a copy of *Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone* with a sticky note marked "Voldemort" on the cover. "I grew up reading these books with my siblings, and Voldemort was the first fictional villain that ever truly terrified me," his caption read. "I know people are shocked by this casting, and I get it – I’m still shocked I got the call. I’m already working with a dialect coach to perfect that low, rasping dark lord tone, and I promise I will leave all the Deadpool one-liners at the door for this role. No fourth wall breaks. No jokes. Just pure, unadulterated dark magic." The announcement immediately broke social media records, with the hashtag #ReynoldsVoldemort trending at number one worldwide on Twitter/X within 15 minutes of the news dropping. Warner Bros. noted that pre-registrations for HBO Max to watch the series jumped 27% in the first hour after the casting reveal, as both Wizarding World fans and Reynolds’ existing fanbase expressed curiosity about the unexpected casting choice.