POTTERMORE PUBLISHING AND AUDIBLE UNVEIL LINEUP FOR GROUNDBREAKING FULL-CAST AUDIO PRODUCTIONS OF THE ICONIC SERIES
Powerhouse Ensemble of 200+ Performers to Include:
Hugh Laurie as Albus Dumbledore,
Matthew Macfadyen as Lord Voldemort,
Riz Ahmed as Professor Snape,
and Michelle Gomez as Professor McGonagall
Cush Jumbo OBE Announced as Narrator,
Rising Stars Introduced as Harry, Ron and Hermione, Additional Casting To Be Announced
The Full-Cast Audio Productions Will Bring These Iconic Stories To Life As Never Heard Before
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone to Debut 4th November, 2025 on Audible
Video Trailer and Performer Headshots HERE
LONDON / NEWARK – 5th August, 2025 – Pottermore Publishing, the global digital Harry PotterTM publisher, and Audible, Inc., a leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, today announced an all-star lineup for Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions. These brand-new productions of the original seven stories by J.K. Rowling will showcase the listening experiences as never heard before—offering immersive audio entertainment through high-quality sound design in Dolby Atmos, stunning scoring, captivating performances from A-list actors, original music, and real-world sound capture. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will debut on Tuesday, 4th November 2025, with each of the remaining six English-language audiobooks releasing monthly for a global audience. Casting was completed in early 2025 and production is nearly wrapped with over 2,000 recording hours logged to date to create these complete, unabridged editions.
With over 200 actors, Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions feature the most ambitious audiobook cast ever assembled. Today’s announcement includes:
- Golden Globe Award winner Hugh Laurie as Albus Dumbledore
- Emmy, Golden Globe and BAFTA Award winner Matthew Macfadyen as Lord Voldemort
- Academy Award winner and Emmy Award winner Riz Ahmed as Professor Snape
- BAFTA Award nominee Michelle Gomez as Professor McGonagall
- Laurence Olivier Award and Critics Choice Award nominee Cush Jumbo OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) as the narrator
- Frankie Treadaway, Max Lester, and Arabella Stanton will play Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger respectively in audiobooks one, two and three
- Jaxon Knopf, Rhys Mulligan, and Nina Barker-Francis will assume the roles of the beloved trio (Harry, Ron, and Hermione respectively) beginning in audiobook four, carrying through to the epic conclusion
Additional cast members will be announced this autumn. Following Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone releasing on 4th November,2025; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets releases 16th December, 2025; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban releases 13th January; 2026; Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire releases 10th February, 2026; Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix releases 10th March, 2026; Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince releases 14th April, 2026; culminating with the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on 12th May, 2026.
Hugh Laurie said: “I’m honoured to have been trusted with the keys to Albus Dumbledore, and thrilled to be able to take him around the track of this beautiful incarnation by Pottermore and Audible. I’m also deeply conscious of previous drivers Richard Harris, Michael Gambon, Jude Law and the iconic narrations by Jim Dale and m’colleague Sir Stephen Fry. Just below the horizon, but headed our way, is the rough beast John Lithgow, his hour come round at last. This is great company, and it’s a privilege to be among their number.”
Rachel Ghiazza, Chief Content Officer at Audible, said: “Magic is coming alive as these brilliant actors lift iconic characters off the page and into our ears. Hearing these spellbinding performances in our state-of-the-art studios has been nothing short of extraordinary. We’re overjoyed to share that fans of all ages can now mark their autumn calendars for a truly breathtaking experience with Audible and Pottermore Publishing – one that promises to reignite the magic for longtime fans and captivate a whole new generation of listeners.”
Neil Blair, Chairman of Pottermore Publishing, said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Audible to reimagine the Harry Potter stories through this groundbreaking full-cast audio experience. J.K. Rowling’s rich, immersive world is perfectly suited to this next evolution in audiobook storytelling. We can’t wait for a new generation of children around the world to discover the stories in this exciting new way.”
These brand-new productions complement the iconic single-voice English language recordings by Jim Dale and Stephen Fry, which have delighted audiences since they were first released in 1999. They have been unprecedented in their popularity since launching on Audible in 2015, with 1.8 billion global listening hours now reached. They will still be available for listeners as classic editions.
Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions join Audible’s ambitious slate of original audio productions such as George Orwell’s 1984, starring Cynthia Erivo, Andrew Garfield, Andrew Scott and a full cast; the recently announced Pride & Prejudice, starring Marisa Abela, Harris Dickinson, and Glenn Close; and our work with award-winning director Sir Sam Mendes on Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, and Bleak House. This continued collaboration with Pottermore Publishing is part of Audible’s development deals with top industry creatives such as President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground, Kerry Washington’s Simpson Street, Daniel Dae Kim’s 3AD Productions, Lorne Michaels’ Broadway Video Enterprises, and James Patterson Entertainment.
The complete Harry Potter audiobook collection on Audible also includes The Tales of Beedle the Bard performed by Jason Isaacs, Warwick Davis, Jude Law, and a full cast, Quidditch Through the Ages performed by Andrew Lincoln, From The Wizarding Archive, featuring Evanna Lynch, Harry Potter: A History of Magic performed by Natalie Dormer, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them performed by Eddie Redmayne.
ABOUT THE CAST:
Hugh Laurie (Dumbledore)
The award-winning, multitalented, Hugh Laurie has had an exceptional career as an actor, producer, writer, musician, and director.
Hugh is arguably best known internationally for his performance in House, where he played Gregory House, an antisocial and brutally honest doctor. His performance garnered him two Golden Globe and two Screen Actor Guild Awards, and six Emmy Award nominations.
He first gained attention by starring in A Bit of Fry and Laurie, which he co-wrote for the BBC with Stephen Fry before playing Bertie Wooster in an impressive four series of Jeeves and Wooster, followed by the infamous role of Prince George in Richard Curtis’ Blackadder.
In 2019, Hugh starred in Armando Iannucci’s adaptation of The Personal History of David Copperfield, alongside Tilda Swinton, Dev Patel, and Gwendoline Christie. His performance as Mr. Dick earned him Best Supporting Actor at the 2019 British Independent Film Awards. Hugh also featured in David Michôd and Luke Davies’ limited television series adaptation of Joseph Heller’s classic World War II novel Catch 22, directed by George Clooney.
In 2020, Hugh starred in the HBO sci-fi comedy Avenue 5 as Ryan Clark, Captain of an interplanetary cruise ship set in the future. The series was created by Armando Iannucci and following the success of the first series, HBO commissioned a second season where Hugh reprised his role.
In 2022, Hugh voiced the lead in Sky’s The Amazing Maurice, the animated adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novel of the same name. The film marked the 20th anniversary of the book’s release and follows the titular streetwise cat as he comes up with a money-making scam with a group of talking rats.
Further TV roles include that of Richard Roper in the acclaimed The Night Manager (2016) and Dr. James Nicholson in Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? (2022). Hugh wrote, directed, executive produced, and stars in Why Didn’t They Ask Evans? (2022). Based on Agatha Christie’s murder mystery of the same name, Hugh was joined in the series by Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent, Will Poulter, and Lucy Boynton. The three-part mini-series was shown on Britbox and aired on ITV1 in the UK.
In 2023, Hugh appeared in Netflix’s adaptation of Pulitzer Prize-winning novel All The Light We Cannot See alongside Mark Ruffalo. He played Étienne LeBlanc, “an eccentric and reclusive World War I hero suffering from PTSD.”
In 2024, Hugh starred in the celebrated Apple TV+ espionage drama Tehran, having been renewed for a third season. Hugh portrayed a South African nuclear inspector and joined an ensemble cast that included newcomers Sasson Gabai, Bahar Pars and Phoenix Raei. Returning stars include Niv Sultan, who plays Mossad agent Tamar Rabinyan, along with Shaun Toub and Shila Ommi.
Hugh has been starring in high budget films for over thirty years. His notable roles include that of Mr. Palmer in Sense and Sensibility (1995) opposite Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet; Walt Disney’s 101 Dalmations (1996) and the box office hit The Man in the Iron Mask (1998). Hugh also starred in Arthur Christmas (2011) opposite James McAvoy and Bill Nighy, and as brilliant and pragmatic scientist David Nix, in Disney’s Tomorrowland (2015), alongside George Clooney.
Hugh is also a self-taught pianist with an incredibly successful music career. In 2011, he released Let Them Talk which was distributed worldwide by Warner Bros Records. Let Them Talk has become a true global hit landing Top 10 chart positions in nine markets as well as Top 40 chart positions in a further eleven. After the huge success of his debut album, Hugh released his second album Didn’t It Rain in May 2013 with Warner Music Entertainment.
Hugh has been announced to star in the upcoming Apple TV+ thriller, The Wanted Man. The eight-episode drama charts the rise and fall of Felix Carmichael, portrayed by Hugh, the elusive and powerful head of notorious British crime syndicate “The Capital.”
Matthew Macfadyen (Lord Voldemort)
Matthew Macfadyen is an Emmy Award-, Golden Globe Award, and BAFTA TV Award-winning television, film, and stage actor. Macfadyen has widely acclaimed for performances in such projects as Pride and Prejudice, Any Human Heart, Criminal Justice, Frost/Nixon, and Succession.
Recently, Macfadyen was seen starring in Mimi Cave’s thriller Holland opposite Nicole Kidman. Matthew also recently joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe, starring in Deadpool & Wolverine opposite Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. Matthew also recently starred in HBO’s Emmy-winning drama series Succession. He received a 2024 Golden Globe Award and multiple years of Emmy and BAFTA TV Awards in the category of “Best Supporting Actor” for his role as Tom Wambsgans. He has also been nominated for multiple Critics Choice Awards for the role.
Upcoming, Macfadyen will be seen in Netflix’s miniseries Death by Lightning alongside Michael Shannon and Nick Offerman in fall 2025. Macfadyen recently wrapped production on the Peacock series The Miniature Wife where he stars opposite Elizabeth Banks.
Matthew’s extensive film credits include work with the world’s top filmmakers, including Ron Howard (Frost/Nixon, SAG Award nominee), Ridley Scott (Robin Hood), and Joe Wright, for whom Matthew has starred in the screen adaptations of Pride & Prejudice and Anna Karenina, both alongside Keira Knightley. He previously starred in five seasons of the hit BBC/Amazon series Ripper Street.
For television, Matthew starred as Logan Mountstuart in the critically acclaimed and award-winning series, Any Human Heart, a four-part television drama for Channel 4 based on the novel by William Boyd, who also adapted the screenplay. He also appeared as Prior Phillip in The Pillars of the Earth, an epic series for Channel 4 based on Ken Follett’s bestselling novel. With Ridley Scott as executive producer, Golden Globe-nominated miniseries The Pillars of the Earth featured Matthew alongside Eddie Redmayne, Hayley Atwell, and Rufus Sewell. Matthew was awarded a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in BBC One’s second series of Criminal Justice. He also starred in the award-winning (including BAFTA, Emmy and Golden Globe) BBC adaptation Little Dorrit with newcomer Claire Foy, earning himself a nomination for Best Actor at the 2009 Royal Television Society Awards. He was exceptional in Channel 4’s one-off drama Secret Life which received outstanding reviews and also earned him a BAFTA nomination and a Royal Television Society Award for Best Actor. His other television credits include Enid (BBC) with Helena Bonham Carter; Marple: A Pocketful of Rye (ITV); The Project (BBC), directed by Peter Kosminsky; The Way We Live Now (BBC) directed by David Yates; Perfect Strangers (BBC), Warriors (BBC) (for which he was nominated at the 1999 Royal Television Society Awards) and Wuthering Heights (ITV). Matthew is well known for his portrayal of Tom Quinn in the first three series of the BBC television drama Spooks, which won BAFTA and Royal Television Society awards; he returned in a guest episode in the final series.
Matthew’s theatre credits are also extensive. He received critical acclaim for his turn as Jeeves in Sean Foley’s highly acclaimed and award-winning staging of Jeeves & Wooster. Matthew played the much-cherished butler to Stephen Mangan’s Bertie Wooster. The show received outstanding reviews and an extended run due to its success, as well as an Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. Other notable performances include his lead role opposite Kim Cattrall in Noël Coward’s Private Lives at the Vaudeville Theatre, as well as The Pain and the Itch (Royal Court Theatre), Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 (National Theatre); Battle Royal (National Theatre/RSC/Stratford); School for Scandal (Barbican/Cheek by Jowl), Much Ado About Nothing (West End) and Duchess of Malfi (West End/New York) and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (RSC).
Riz Ahmed (Professor Snape)
Riz Ahmed is an Academy Award- (The Long Goodbye) and Emmy Award- (The Night Of) winning multi-hyphenate, excelling in his unique blend of critically acclaimed acting, producing, writing, and music creation.
He most recently starred in Wes Anderson’s eagerly anticipated latest picture The Phoenician Scheme, alongside Benicio del Toro, Tom Hanks, and Bryan Cranston. This August, he will headline David Mackenzie’s cat-and-mouse thriller Relay, opposite Lily James, and Sam Worthington. Also on the horizon, Ahmed will once again collaborate with Aneil Karia in a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, taking on the titular character. Haunted by his father’s ghost and driven to increasingly unstable heights moving from elite London to the city’s underground, he goes to violent lengths to avenge his father’s murder, ultimately questioning his own role in the family’s corruption.
As his game-changing year continues, Ahmed has also written, produced, and starred in a forthcoming comedy series for Amazon Prime Video. The series will depict the struggles of aspiring actor Shah Latif (played by Ahmed), whose life takes a surreal turn as he navigates an existential crisis and a bizarre conspiracy. Likewise, Ahmed has just wrapped production on Alejandro G. Iñárritu’s upcoming feature for Warner Bros, starring opposite Tom Cruise, dated for an October 2026 release.
Ahmed is the founder of the award-winning production company Left-Handed Films. As a musician, his journey has spanned two decades across battle rap, techno, artistic residencies, a successful American band Swet Shop Boys, and, most recently, his critically acclaimed, award-winning 2020 solo album The Long Goodbye. In June 2021, Ahmed launched a multi-layered initiative for Muslim representation in media, in partnership with the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative.
Michelle Gomez (Professor McGonagall)
Michelle is an actress with incomparable charisma and verve. Her iconic performances in Green Wing and The Book Group cemented her status as a comedic tour de force. Her later BAFTA-nominated turn in Doctor Who and star roles in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and The Flight Attendant gained her commercial recognition across the globe. Michelle has also performed in countless theatre productions, notably Boeing Boeing and Taming of the Shrew to name but a few.
Cush Jumbo OBE (Narrator) can currently be seen opposite Peter Capaldi in her Apple TV series Criminal Record in which she stars and executive eroduces. She has recently played Lady Macbeth opposite David Tennant in the West End. She is well known for starring in US series The Good Fight and can be seen as the lead in BritBox drama The Beast Must Die opposite Jared Harris. Cush is the author of Josephine and I and has received an OBE for her contribution to Drama. She recently received an Olivier award nomination for Hamlet at The Young Vic Theatre and starred in Netflix thriller Stay Close.
Frankie Treadaway (Harry Potter, audiobooks 1-3)
Frankie began his performance journey in Peter Pan as Michael (Tonbridge). His impressive stage credits include performances in Mary Poppins (West End, Michael Banks), Elf (West End, Michael Hobbs), Mrs Doubtfire (West End, Christopher Hilliard), and most recently in Matilda the Musical (West End, Tommy). His TV credits include My Lady Jane (LJP Ltd).
Frankie loves the Harry Potter series, both the books and the films, and he feels so honoured to be joining the magical world of Harry Potter! Frankie loves all sport, especially cricket where he plays for his county, and basketball, where he plays National League.
Max Lester (Ron Weasley, audiobooks 1-3)
Max’s diverse acting experience has brought him to film roles on Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice (Warner Bros) and The Fantastic Four: First Steps (Marvel); to stage roles in Les Misérables (West End, Gavroche) and Leopoldstadt, (West End, Young Jacob); to animation roles on Nickelodeon’s Best Birthday Ever (Charlie, main role), Barbapapa series 2 (Nickelodeon, Barbabeau); and in voice roles such as Hennikay for Radio 4. In his spare time, Max loves skateboarding and watching Arsenal and is delighted to be playing Young Ron.
Arabella Stanton (Hermione Granger, audiobooks 1-3)
Arabella starred as Matilda in Matilda the Musical (West End) at the young age of 9. After wrapping as Matilda, she went straight into the original cast of Starlight Express (London) to play the part of Control shortly after her 10th birthday. Arabella has just started filming in the role of Hermione Granger for the HBO Original Harry Potter TV Series.
While Arabella’s passions are acting and singing, she is also a foodie and a book lover. She enjoys sports, especially hockey, football, and running, and spends a lot of time writing stories of her own. Arabella is over the moon to be voicing Young Hermione and to be part of this very special and immersive project.
Jaxon Knopf (Harry Potter, audiobooks 4-7)
Jaxon’s acting credits include stage roles in Big Fish, The Musical (The Other Palace) and Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (London Palladium); film roles in Moishe (Moishe Productions, title role of Moishe); and animation roles in Ricky Zoom season two (Entertainment One/Frog Box, title role of Ricky Zoom). Jaxon is a young British actor and is delighted to be playing the role of Harry Potter.
Rhys Mulligan (Ron Weasley, audiobooks 4-7)
Rhys’ dynamic performances across theatre, screen, and voice acting include stage performances in Matilda the Musical (Stratford Play House, Stratford Musical Theatre Company, Mr Wormwood), Goodnight Mr Tom (The Bear Pit, Stratford-upon-Avon, William), The Musicians (Bridge House Theatre, Warwick, Roland) A Christmas Carol, (RSC Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, Peter Cratchit, Doctors boy and Tinder) Commercial, News Presenter, (POP TV Channel, POP TV). Mr Duncan, (Graduate Film, Westminster University, Playing Lester).
Rhys has achieved LAMDA Grade 8 distinction in Acting and Public Speaking. His appreciation for the arts extends beyond acting, with interests in directing, visual arts, sculpture, and architecture. He is honoured to be reading the role of Ron Weasley and is thrilled to bring one of his favourite characters to life, continuing the magic for a new generation of listeners.
Nina Barker-Francis (Hermione Granger, audiobooks 4-7)
Nina’s previous acting credits include voicing the secondary lead role of Whitley in Netflix’s animated series Wolf King, and portraying Chill Spen in AMC’s sci-fi thriller Moonhaven. She has also featured in a range of acclaimed television shows, including BBC’s The Jetty, HBO’s House of the Dragon, Amazon Prime Video’s The Power, and Flack. She is thrilled to be voicing the role of Hermione Granger.
ABOUT AUDIBLE, INC.
Audible, Inc., an Amazon.com, Inc. subsidiary (NASDAQ:AMZN), is a leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, offering global audiences a powerful way to enhance and enrich their lives through extraordinary content. Audible’s catalog includes more than 1,000,000 audio titles, including Audible Originals as well as audiobooks and podcasts from leading studios, print, audio and magazine publishers and world-renowned entertainers.
ABOUT POTTERMORE PUBLISHING
Pottermore Publishing is the global digital audiobook and eBook publisher of J.K. Rowling’s multi-million bestselling Harry Potter series and associated titles from the world of Harry Potter. Working with a global network of retail and library partners, Pottermore Publishing prioritises accessibility, creativity, and innovation as it brings these beloved stories to life for each generation of readers and listeners to discover.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
- Announcement video: TK
- Further details about production, cover images, and casting will be released later.
- The original, iconic Stephen Fry and Jim Dale English language audio recordings will continue to be available.
