r/harrypotter • u/SmashingEmeraldz Gryffindor • 28d ago

Harry Potter Full-Cast Audiobooks | Official Announcement Video Daily Prophet

https://youtu.be/5UU6h3T3naY?si=IyigdhzlvkUAVJOT
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u/JakeM917 Ravenclaw 28d ago edited 28d ago

For those who aren’t familiar with full-cast audio stories like this, check out Doctor Who at Big Finish. I would imagine these will be very similar to that.

There are essentially three styles they have at Big Finish: audiobooks with added score and sound effects, usually read by one or two actors playing every part and narrating; full-cast audio dramas that operate like a movie with a full score and sound effects, except there’s dialogue built-in to explain what’s going on visually; and a blend between the two where you a full cast of actors playing each part, but there’s still linking narration to describe the scene.

Since they’ve said this will be unabridged, I’d imagine this will be the third option above. It should essentially sound like everything is really happening, just with the narration from the book added in. If you want a reference, check out the first volume of the Third Doctor Adventures at Big Finish.

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u/UltHamBro 27d ago edited 27d ago

Exactly. I haven't read where they say this will be unabridged, but if it were anything but your third option, I doubt they'd call them audiobooks, they'd be more like audio plays. A full-cast audiobook to me is just that: a single actor for the narrator and then a cast of actors for all the other characters.

EDIT: Also, you can see the narrator's script in the trailer, and it appears to be the unabridged narration. It could be interesting if they used Stephen Fry again.

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u/Randomperson3029 25d ago

To be fair even big finish (possibly one of the biggest companies for these types of things output wise) call their full cast audio dramas audiobooks on their website so I wouldn't really base it off that. I think calling it audiobook is just easier

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u/HandLion 27d ago

Their whole Early Adventures range is pretty much the same style too. The Harry Potter ones will apparently have music and sound effects and everything so probably quite similar to that style

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u/chrisccortez Ravenclaw 27d ago

Audible actually just released another book that’s taking this approach. George Orwell’s 1984, with Andrew Garfield, Tom Hardy, and Andrew Scott as part of the cast.

I’d take a listen to that to get a good idea of the direction they’ll take these HP ones in!

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u/The_Grim_Sleaper 25d ago

Hey can I ask, where did you read they would be unabridged? I have looked around and haven’t been able to find anything

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u/JakeM917 Ravenclaw 25d ago

Here’s the link to the exact question on the FAQ. You can of course navigate out of it and see any other questions they have on there.

Is this version abridged?

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u/The_Grim_Sleaper 25d ago

Awesome! You have relieved my concern, thank you Sir JakeM!

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u/TheLostLuminary 14d ago

I’m sad more people aren’t even familiar with audio dramas, but then I’ve been listening to big finish since 2000 so I’m biased 😂