A New ‘Harry Potter’ Book Is Slated To Hit Book Stores On A Very Special Date This Summer
Fans of the Harry Potter series received an exciting bit of news this morning when it was announced that this summer, an eighth book in the popular series would be released.
Potterheads around the world rejoiced last year when it was revealed that author J.K. Rowling had co-written a play, entitled Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, that was set 19 years after the events that took place in Rowling’s final Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Sadly, the dreams of everyone but those who live in and around London — or those who could travel there — were dashed when the announcement was made that the highly-anticipated play would only be performed in England.
However, as previously reported by the Inquisitr, the excitement of Harry Potter fans was once again renewed when two weeks ago, claims were made that two book publishers were in a bidding war for the rights to publish the newest book in the Harry Potter series, which is based on the play. These rumors were confirmed early this morning when it was reported that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child would be published in book form immediately following its theatrical debut, according to Time.
The eighth Harry Potter Story. Nineteen years later. Read it on July 31st! #CursedChild #HPScriptBook pic.twitter.com/4FNi2tltfI
— Scholastic (@Scholastic) February 10, 2016
The play is slated to open on July 30, 2016, at the Palace Theatre in London, England, and the subsequent book, which will essentially be the Harry Potter and the Cursed Child script in book form, is set to be released the following day, July 31. Die hard Harry Potter fans will no doubt recognize this special date — it’s actually Harry Potter’s birthday. The fictional hero will turn 36-years-old on the day of the book’s release. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will also be released in ebook format on Rowling’s website, Pottermore.
A brief synopsis of the play hints at troubles with Harry Potter’s youngest son, Albus, as he attempts to make his way through the magical world, with the “family legacy” weighing heavily on him, reports Entertainment Weekly.
“It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.”
The forthcoming Harry Potter book will be comprised of the Special Rehearsed Edition of both parts of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, which was written by Jack Thorne, and was based on a story written by Thorne, Rowling, and John Tiffany. A press release on Pottermore goes on to elaborate that because scripts often change during the preview and performance stages of a play, this first edition will eventually be replaced by the Definitive Collector’s Edition, which will contain the finalized version of the script.
Casting Noma Dumezweni as Hermione in @JK_Rowling's 'The Cursed Child' is something the Oscars should take note of! pic.twitter.com/T5fypn32LK
— Les Floyd (@Lesism) January 20, 2016
In December of 2015, social media was set on fire when it was revealed that the actress chosen to play the adult Hermione Granger was none other than Noma Dumezweni, an Olivier award-winning actress who just so happened to be black. Fans bombarded Rowling with angry tweets on the subject, but the author, ever open-minded and inclusive, simply tweeted that she was very excited to see Dumezweni take on the role of Hermione, effectively shutting down any potential detractors.
Canon: brown eyes, frizzy hair and very clever. White skin was never specified. Rowling loves black Hermione ? https://t.co/5fKX4InjTH
— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) December 21, 2015
Not one to take a break for too long, Rowling also has a film coming out later this year, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, an offshoot of the Harry Potter series. The film was adapted from her book of the same name, that was written in 2001 under the pseudonym of fictitious author Newt Scamander.
[Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images]