The beloved world of Harry Potter is coming alive in two major ways: a forthcoming TV series at HBO and a full-cast audiobook megaproject from Audible.
While the HBO version is still more than a year out, but Audible’s first installment of the book series has hit the online yesterday, with the subsequent six volumes arriving every monththereafter, culminating with the final book on May 12, according to Variety.
Audible’s approach differs from the screen adaptation: rather than casting for physical likenesses of characters from author J K Rowling’s novels, emphasising voice and performance.
The company “will introduce a groundbreaking new soundscape … performances that will inspire our listeners’ imaginations and redefine these quintessential characters for a new generation,” according to a joint statement with Pottermore Publishing cited by Variety.
For the Hogwarts student trio, Audible splits the series into younger and older eras: in books 1-3, the voices of Harry, Ron and Hermione are performed by Frankie Treadaway, Max Lester and Arabella Stanton respectively; for books 4-7, the roles transition to Jaxon Knopf, Rhys Mulligan and Nina Barker-Francis.
Notably, Arabella Stanton is also cast as Hermione in the HBO live-action series—giving audiobook listeners a preview of the live performance.
The star-studded cast extends throughout: Hugh Laurie as Dumbledore, Matthew Macfadyen as Voldemort, Riz Ahmed as Snape, Kit Harington as Gilderoy Lockhart, Keira Knightley as Dolores Umbridge and James McAvoy as Mad-Eye Moody.
Audible CEO Bob Carrigan remarked, “With millions upon millions of Audible listeners devouring Harry Potter at an astonishing rate, we are thrilled about the opportunity to be part of this next chapter — delighting new and old fans alike with a reinvigorated listening experience that Audible is expertly positioned to create.”