HARRY POTTER: Bertie Carvel To Portray Minister For Magic Cornelius Fudge In Upcoming HBO MAX Series

HARRY POTTER: Bertie Carvel To Portray Minister For Magic Cornelius Fudge In Upcoming HBO MAX Series

The bumbling, Voldemort-denialist Corneluis Fudge will be portrayed by Bertie Carvel in HBO Max's forthcoming Harry Potter TV reboot.

By MarkJulian - Jun 09, 2025 10:06 AM EST
Filed Under: Harry Potter
Source: Deadline

Per Deadline, it's been confirmed that  Bertie Carvel (The Crown, Dalgliesh)  will portray Cornelius Fudge in the upcoming HBO Harry Potter TV series. The role was previously played by Robert Hardy in the original film series.

In the Harry Potter novels, Cornelius Fudge is best known as the Minister for Magic during the rise of Lord Voldemort. Though not inherently malicious, Fudge is portrayed as pompous, insecure, and deeply concerned with preserving the illusion of control. Rather than face the uncomfortable truth of Voldemort’s return after the Triwizard Tournament, he chose denial, despite urgent warnings from Albus Dumbledore and testimony from Harry Potter.

To protect public confidence and secure his political standing, Fudge launched a campaign to discredit both Dumbledore and Harry, painting them as unstable and power-hungry. He used the Daily Prophet as a propaganda tool to manipulate public opinion, stalling the wizarding world's response to a growing threat. His refusal to act not only left the Ministry unprepared but also endangered countless lives.

In the movies, the character is humorously remembered as muttering, "He's back," after catching a glimpse of Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. This comes after tons of insurmountable evidence has already been gathered to show that Voldemort had already returned.

Ironically, Fudge had once leaned heavily on Dumbledore's counsel and even offered him the Minister position before taking the role himself. It wasn’t until Voldemort appeared in person at the Ministry that Fudge was finally forced to acknowledge the truth, by then, much damage had already been done. His legacy, which has ironic timeliness with today's political climate,  remains one of missed warnings, political cowardice, and a failure to lead when it mattered most.

Recently, newcomers Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout and Arabella Stanton were cast to portray Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, respectively.

The HBO Max series will also star John Lithgow as Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as master Snape, Janet McTeer as  Minerva McGonagall, Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid, Luke Thallon as Quirinus Quirrell, and Paul Whitehouse as Argus Filch.

 Francesca Gardiner (His Dark Materials, Succession) is serving as showrunner. Mark Mylod (Succession) is confirmed to be directing multiple episodes of the first season.

While an exact release date for the series has yet to be announced, Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO of HBO & Max Content, has stressed the studio’s dedication to authenticity.

This new Max Original series will dive deep into each of the iconic books that fans have cherished for years,” Bloys said via press statement. “With a devoted creative team, we’ll finally be able to explore the depth and detail of these beloved stories through the long-form storytelling that television makes possible.”

J.K. Rowling Reveals What She Thinks Of The First Scripts For HBO's HARRY POTTER TV Remake
Related:

J.K. Rowling Reveals What She Thinks Of The First Scripts For HBO's HARRY POTTER TV Remake

Gary Oldman Wanted Dumbledore Role In HBO's HARRY POTTER Remake; Ralph Fiennes Gives Advice To The New Cast
Recommended For You:

Gary Oldman Wanted Dumbledore Role In HBO's HARRY POTTER Remake; Ralph Fiennes Gives Advice To The New Cast

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, SFFGazette.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.

This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. SFFGazette.com will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. Please CONTACT US for expeditious removal of copyrighted/trademarked content. CLICK HERE to learn more about our copyright and trademark policies.

Note that SFFGazette.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

Be the first to comment and get the conversation going!

Please log in to post comments.

Don't have an account?
Please Register.

View Recorder