Audible to Release Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them Audiobook Narrated by Eddie Redmayne

Audible, the Netflix of digital audiobooks, has just announced they’re releasing an audiobook of J.K. Rowling’s Hogwarts library book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and that it will be narrated by Academy Award-winner and the star of 2016’s film, Eddie Redmayne. The audiobook will be released on March 14, and will feature six new beasts, a new foreword by Newt Scamander and an elaborate sound design.

Redmayne expressed his excitement over the announcement in a statement, saying:

Before I was cast in the film, David Yates told me about Newt and this textbook. I found it so funny and so enchanting and really wittily written. But it wasn’t until I started reading it out loud for the audiobook that I realized how tricky and poetic J.K. Rowling’s use of sounds and language can be. There are some really great tongue twister words in here! Occasionally, I had to stop recording just because I was incapable of saying the words without either laughing or getting my tongue in a muddle. I enjoyed the challenge and hope listeners can sense that in my narration.

This is a pretty exciting announcement for fans of both the film and the book, allowing them to dive even deeper into the Potterverse than they they might have otherwise. It’s also a smart move for Audible to cash in on some of that Potterverse fever, because it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Said Audible’s Chief Content Officer Andy Gaies in a statement:

We are thrilled to offer Audible listeners, the most voracious readers there are, the opportunity to enjoy a brilliant performance of yet another essential component of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World seamlessly through the Audible service. We look forward to bringing even more listeners to this richly imagined universe through our effortless and affordable service. Ever since we first made the Harry Potter series available on Audible in 2015, they have been consistently among the highest rated, most downloaded, and most listened to audiobooks in our store.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is available for pre-order from Audible.