Pottermore Publishing and Audible have announced the production of a new series of Harry Potter audiobooks in English. Unlike previous audiobooks recounting the adventures of the young wizard, the seven books of the saga will not be read by a single voice, but performed by multiple actors. Here's what we already know about this immersive audio experience that should delight fans.
On April 25, 2024, the audiobook platform Audible announced on its account X the creation of an all-new complete audio edition of the Harry Potter saga.
From what we know so far, Audible and Pottermore Publishing, the global digital publisher of the little wizard's adventures, have decided to partner up to offer fans a groundbreaking new interpretation of the seven books in the saga.
However, the vast global community of Potterheads will have to wait, as these new audiobooks are announced on the Audible platform... starting from late 2025!
Attention listeners! A brand-new, full-cast audio performance of #HarryPotter awaits you in late 2025. Prepare for a journey through the mystical world of Hogwarts with an enchanting original score and sound design for an unforgettable experience. ????????? https://t.co/EijcUqoFBu pic.twitter.com/OnDrT3nUf0— Audible (@audible_com) April 25, 2024
This new audio version of the Harry Potter saga, currently in preparation, is a large-scale project. Each book will no longer simply be read by an actor but performed by different voices, to provide fans with "an immersive audio entertainment."
To re-record all seven novels in full, Audible and Pottermore Publishing plan to hire over a hundred actors. They will be responsible for embodying the 500 characters who speak in the saga in addition to the narrator. Therefore, some actors will take on multiple roles.
In addition to mobilizing a hundred interpreters, this new version will be accompanied by immersive and unprecedented sound effects.
The producers have announced a highly ambitious project, with high-quality sound design in Dolby Atmos, original music, more than a hundred different voices, and real-world sound capture.
These new audiobooks will stand out from the previous ones with a revolutionary soundscape. Get ready to travel into the wizarding world through the simple magic of sound! These new audiobooks will be specially designed to make your listening experience more authentic and more magical than ever!
Regarding this project, Neil Blair, President of Pottermore Publishing, stated, "JK Rowling's storytelling lends itself perfectly to the application of new audiobook technologies. We are confident that this sophisticated and immersive audio experience will not only add a new dimension of listening for existing fans but will also introduce the wizarding world to an entirely new generation of listeners."
If you're already itching with anticipation to immerse yourself in the wizarding world in a different way, note that this new audio version will be available exclusively in English, at least initially.
It will also be offered exclusively on the Audible platform, the audiobook platform of the Amazon group.
Each of the seven English audiobooks will be released according to a specific schedule, starting of course with volume 1, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, in 2025. The subsequent volumes are expected to gradually follow throughout 2026.
This new series of Harry Potter audiobooks is set to refresh the listening experience without replacing the existing audiobooks. This edition will simply complement the previous single-voice books, recorded by actors Stephen Fry in the United Kingdom and Jim Dale in the United States.
These two English-language versions, which have been available on Audible since 2015, have accumulated 1.4 billion hours of listening worldwide! They will keep you entertained until the release of the new, more complex and immersive version.
Patience, dear Potterheads! More details about these new audiobooks, such as their global release date and voice cast, will be revealed later...
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