In 1999, the first Harry Potter audiobooks were officially released, with Jim Dale on the American edition and Stephen Fry on the United Kingdom’s version. However, the next iteration of all seven Harry Potter audiobooks are going to be completely remade with a full-cast of over 100 performers, thanks to a newly announced deal between Audible and J.K. Rowling’s Pottermore Publishing. Rowling did not release a statement herself after she recently lashed out at Harry Potter movie stars Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson for standing up to her continuous anti-transgender rhetoric, which has been ongoing since the summer of 2020.
In addition to the new voice cast, Audible’s exclusive editions will feature “immersive audio entertainment through high-quality sound design in Dolby Atmos, stunning scoring, a full range of character voices and real-world sound capture,” according to the official announcement.
“We are delighted to be collaborating with Audible on what will be a groundbreaking audio edition of the beloved Harry Potter stories,” said Pottermore Publishing chairman Neil Blair. “J.K. Rowling’s storytelling lends itself perfectly to the application of new audiobook technologies, and we’re certain this sophisticated, immersive audio experience will not only add a new listening dimension for existing fans but will introduce a whole new generation of listeners to the wizarding world.”