Casting rumors for the Harry Potter TV reboot have been heating up over the past few months, with plenty of names for Snape and Dumbledore in the mix. The franchise's main villain is now getting some of the limelight with one name consistently being linked with the big bad: Cillian Murphy.

The director of the first two entries in the film franchise thinks this Irish star would be an "amazing" Dark Lord.

Two decades after Chris Columbus brought the wizarding world to theaters, fans continue to debate whether the original Harry Potter director should have remained at the helm for all eight films, pointing to his unique ability to capture the magical essence of the series.

Chris Columbus, director of the blockbuster Harry Potter films, has given his verdict on the long-awaited and controversial new TV series. The 66-year-old directed Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Chamber of Secrets,

J.K. Rowling’s beloved wizarding series roughly 15 years after the final movie in the franchise came out. Some people are pumped about the upcoming Harry Potter TV series, and some are opposed, but if you were to ask original franchise director Chris Columbus how he feels,

Harry Potter director Chris Columbus would approve of Cillian Murphy being cast as the villain Lord Voldemort in the upcoming TV adaptation. The Home Alone filmmaker, who directed the first two Harry Potter films,

Chris Columbus, director of the first two original Harry Potter movies, is sharing his thoughts about HBO's new television take on J.K. Rowling's magical classic. Columbus has also weighed in on the rumors surrounding the casting of Cillian Murphy as Lord Voldemort.

"I look forward to seeing what they're trying to do with it," the filmmaker told PEOPLE Chris Columbus is excited for the next chapter in the Harry Potter universe. The filmmaker, 66, spoke with PEOPLE exclusively at the Los Angeles premiere of Nosferatu,