Amazon's Audible to premiere 'From the Wizarding Archive' series Aug. 29

J.K. Rowling’s articles delving into the intricacies of Harry Potter and the Wizarding World — a collection spanning 80 entries — have been adapted in audio format for the first time, set to launch later this month on Audible.

“From the Wizarding Archive” draws on the 80 articles written by Rowling for the original (now-defunct) Pottermore website. The audio series is slated to debut Thursday, Aug. 29, exclusively on Amazon’s Audible.

Separately, Audible has a deal with Rowling’s Pottermore Publishing to co-produce a new audiobook series for the original seven Harry Potter novels. The new audiobooks, featuring a voice cast of more than 100 actors, are scheduled to premiere in late 2025 exclusively on Audible.

Related Stories

A hand holding up a controller into the air VIP+

Why the Video Game Industry Can’t Shake Its Struggles

best book to screen adaptations

From 'The Perfect Couple' to 'Uglies': The Best Book-to-Screen Adaptations to Read This Year

Rowling herself did not lend her voice to “From the Wizarding Archive.” The audio series is narrated by four actors — Evanna Lynch, Hugh Quarshie, Finlay Robertson and Lara Sawalha — and prefaced with an exclusive foreword by Lynch.

Popular on Variety

“If you’ve ever wondered why Squibs are never offered a place at Hogwarts, what happened when Vernon Dursley first met James Potter, or how Dumbledore and McGonagall formed their lifelong friendship, ‘From the Wizarding Archive’ should go straight to the top of your wish list,” Audible said in announcing the series.

Other questions that “From the Wizarding Archive” promises to answer include whether Professor Umbridge “was always that awful” and why wizards don’t use phones to communicate. The series also will provide “the personal details that bring us closer to J.K. Rowling’s writing process,” according to Audible — from her least favorite school subject and its impact on Professor Snape’s career, to the personal significance of the King’s Cross rail station and why it’s always where the Hogwarts Express departs.

The articles in “From the Wizarding Archive” were originally penned by Rowling for the pottermore.com website; they remain free to read in English on wizardingworld.com. Of the 80 articles, 35 were originally published across three Pottermore Presents eBooks.

Rowling’s final book in the Harry Potter series, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” was published in 2007 — but all these years later, the franchise has retained a robust following. Among other projects, Warner Bros. Discovery is developing a new TV series for Max based on the books with an initial 2026 release date. At the same time, Rowling in recent years has alienated many Harry Potter fans with comments that have been criticized as anti-trans.

Listen to the foreword from Audible’s forthcoming “From The Wizarding Archive” series:

https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/01-Foreword.mp3

Read More About:

Jump to Comments

More from Variety

Most Popular

Must Read

Sign Up for Variety Newsletters

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy.We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. // This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Variety Confidential

A Variety and iHeartRadio Podcast

ncG1vNJzZmiukae2psDYZ5qopV9nfXOAjp2goKGklrlwusSwqmiim2K%2FsMPLoqWgZZiWv7PFjKmmrayVp3qnvs6mZLChqpa%2FpbXNoGSwp6KhsW6t0Zyfoq6VYq62sMibo55lYWeAd32Qa2pyb18%3D