The world of “Harry Potter” adaptations has seen a lot of news lately. HBO has its upcoming series with notable names like Jon Lithgow taking on the role of Albus Dumbledore. But there’s another adaptation coming out later this year that has some big casting news of its own. This one might appeal to those who argue “the books are better” since it’s an audiobook adaptation of the series for Amazon’s Audible service.
Audio books have taken on a form that goes beyond straight narration of the text. Some of them take on a more dramatic flair, more akin to a radio drama. Such is the case with the “Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions.” These are still unabridged editions of the novels but also feature an “immersive audio entertainment experience” complete with music, and “high-quality sound design.” The stories will still have a narrator in the form of Cush Jumbo (“The Good Wife,” “Torchwood.”) but they will also have a full cast for the world’s many characters.
First and foremost, the role of Dumbledore will be played by Hugh Laurie. The former “House” star made a statement that gave respects to the actors who had taken the role before him, citing Richard Harris, Michael Gambon, Jude Law, and making reference to the upcoming Lithgow take. Also noteworthy is Matthew Macfayden (“Succession“) as Lord Voldemort. Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”) will voice Professor Snape, and Michelle Gomez (Missy from “Doctor Who”) will voice Professor McGonagal. Arabella Stanton, who will be playing Hermione in the upcoming HBO series, is pulling double duty by voicing her in the first three audio books.
All three of the main roles, Harry, Ron, and Hermione will be played by different actors in the first three movies and the final four. Frankie Treadaway, Max Lester, and the aforementioned Stanton will eventually hand the roles of Harry, Ron, and Hermione respectively to Jaxon Knopf, Rhys Mulligan, and Nina Barker-Francis. Reportedly over 2,000 hours of audio have been recorded to make these books come to life in this format, with the first of the novels dropping later this year.
“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” will hit November 4th, 2025 with each of the following books releasing each month after. “Chamber of Secrets” in December, “Prisoner of Azkaban” in January, and so on. If you want to hear a little bit of how things sound, you can check out the trailer. We’ve still got a few months to go before we get to indulge in some aural goodness, but we look forward to being able to experience these stories in a “novel” way.
You can pre-order the set on Audible’s website here.
