Like the extended Doctor Who family and the folks behind Dungeons & Dragons, the good Muggles at Wizarding World, the official Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts fan-hub, are encouraging fans to stay home with freebies and virtual events. This week, the site made a surprise announcement to launch #HarryPotterAtHome, a project where past cast-members of both franchises and other celebrities will read to you all 17 chapters of book one, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. First up is none other than Harry Potter himself, Daniel Radcliffe.
In the video, hosted on the Wizarding World website, Radcliffe reads the entire first chapter, “The Boy Who Lived,” with fan-art by readers of all ages and from all over the world interspersed throughout. (Fans interested in participating can find details here.) There’s also an audio-only version over on Spotify.
According to the announcement, one celebrity-read chapter will be uploaded onto the site every week. While the entire line-up has yet to be announced, fans can expect Stephen Fry, Eddie Redmayne, Noma Dumezweni, Claudia Kim, Dakota Fanning, and David Beckham among those lending their dulcet tones to J.K. Rowling’s series. Tune in next week for chapter 2, “The Vanishing Glass,” and feel free to follow along with Tor.com’s very own re-read of Harry Potter.
Surprise! We've got a treat for you…From today, amazing friends of the Wizarding World are going to take turns reading Harry Potter book one.
And to start us off with Chapter 1, we think you’ll agree we have the perfect narrator…
#HarryPotterAtHome
https://t.co/w9K77akbou pic.twitter.com/Q03PmjeD5d— Wizarding World (@wizardingworld) May 5, 2020
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He should really record an audiobook!
Just when you think he got out, they pull him back in! (-;
In all seriousness it should be interesting to find out who fancies a shot at giving voice to the Boy Who Lived and his various adventures, not to mention who reads it best – although if Mr Stephen Fry is involved then the scramble for silver might be a more interesting contest than the challenge for gold.
p.s. You just know that if this re-read reaches THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN they’ll have to let Mr Daniel Radcliffe get the best Sirius Black chapter; if I remember correctly he once remarked that if there was ever a remake of those Potter movies he’d like to play the role … unless he was old enough to play Professor Dumbledore.
ALSO:- Mr David Beckham is, of course, a Gryffindor.
I have to admit, my heart goes all squee for Eddie Redmayne. The Fantastic Beasts movies are a bit…eh but he is definitely one of the best things about then.
So, I just listened to it (and he does a lovely job!) and it occurred to me that this is one of the few chapters where Harry himself doesn’t get any dialogue which is kind of…ironic, I guess :)
wait, the first book is only 17 chapters? man, I have been reading things like stormlight archieves for too long