Actors Keira Knightley and James McAvoy are set to lend their voices to the characters Professor Umbridge and Mad-Eye Moody in Audible's upcoming Harry Potter audiobook series, according to US media reports.
Other new additions to the cast include: Kit Harington as Professor Lockhart, Iwan Rheon as Professor Lupin, Ruth Wilson as Bellatrix Lestrange, Ambika Mod as Nymphadora Tonks, Leo Woodall as Bill Weasley, Simon Pegg as Arthur Weasley, Gemma Whelan as Professor Sprout, and Matt Berry as Sir Cadogan.
McAvoy said in a statement to Variety, “He’s a layered character, constantly shifting between battle-hardened intensity and unexpected moments of wisdom. Capturing his commanding presence was incredibly fun.”
Previously, the makers announced Succession star Matthew Macfayden as the voice of Lord Voldemort in the Audible series.
While Macfayden voices He Who Must Not Be Named, House star Hugh Laurie will lend his voice to Professor Dumbledore. Other cast members include: Riz Ahmed (Sound of Metal) as Professor Snape and Michelle Gomez (Doctor Who) as Professor McGonagall.
Cush Jumbo (The Good Fight) will serve as the narrator for the seven-part audiobook series.
Young actors Frankie Treadaway, Max Lester and Arabella Stanton will play Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger respectively in the first, second and third audiobooks. Stanton is also set to play Hermione in HBO’s upcoming reboot series.
Jaxon Knopf, Rhys Mulligan and Nina Barker-Francis will essay the roles of the Golden Trio in the rest of the parts.
The first part of the audiobook series, adapting the first novel in the book series Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, will debut on Audible on November 4. Each of the remaining six audiobooks will be released monthly worldwide. The titles can be preordered on Audible.
The original single-voice Harry Potter audiobooks by Stephen Fry will still be available on Audible. The audiobooks have reached 1.8 billion global listening hours in total since they premiered on Audible in 2015.