11 million: the number of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows books that were sold within the first 24 hours of release. Harry Potter’s story captured the hearts of millions across the globe, but after July 21, 2007 the world thought that it was the last word they’d ever read of the boy who lived.
However, 8 years later on June 26, 2015, author J.K. Rowling announced Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. This new chapter of the Harry Potter universe isn’t a book, though; it’s a play, premiering in London’s West End at the Palace Theater in summer 2016.
“I am confident that when audiences see the play they will agree that it was the only proper medium for the story,” said Rowling, via her Twitter.
Rowling has received many offers over the years to continue the Harry Potter story, but she says that the people she’s working with are the “dream team.” Rowling will be writing the screenplay with Jack Thorne and John Tiffany.
Thorne is a television, theater, and radio writer who has created Hope as well as The Right One In and was a writer for the hit show Skins (UK). He has also written multiple screenplays that have been shown in many famous theaters through the UK, including the National Theater and London’s Royal Court Theater.
Tiffany will be directing The Cursed Child. He is a celebrated director and writer and has been the recipient of myriad awards both on Broadway and in the West End, his most recent of which was a Tony award for Once.
This team will be working with Sonia Friedman productions and Steven Hoggett for movement, Christine Jones for set design, Katrina Lindsay for costumes, Neil Austin for lighting, and Imogen Heap for music.
Rowling’s enthusiasm for this new work is matched, if not exceeded, by the fans. Her announcement via Twitter received over 35,000 replies.
“This play in particular is definitely being targeted towards older audiences,” said Ashley Sousa, a longtime fan of the series. “So I feel like it's a good way for fans who are now older to connect with the stories they grew up with.”
Rowling has confirmed a number of times that this story will not be a prequel. According to the Daily Mail the story will delve in to what happened to the Potter parents, Lily and James, before they were killed.
“I love Harry Potter but I’m really glad we’re going in a slightly different direction and storyline,” said Emalyn Atkins, the president of her high school’s Harry Potter club.
This new story will be focusing more on the older characters in the Harry Potter universe, and J.K. Rowling is using this opportunity to explain some unresolved questions that the fans have had about these more minor characters.
“I think studying the relationship between the Potters and the Dursleys will be fascinating and shed a lot of light upon the reasons for Harry's upbringing,” Sousa said. “And I also feel it will humanize the Dursleys a bit more than the books allowed.”
Tickets will go on sale publicly this autumn, and more details will be released in late July. To stay updated on this production and sign up for an emailing list, you can visit the play’s official website here.
