J.K. Rowling's Blog, page 4

Watch the second trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore is a spellbinding adventure delivering the magic and excitement of the wizarding world that has been enchanting movie audiences around the globe for 20 years.

Professor Albus Dumbledore knows the powerful Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald is moving to seize control of the wizarding world.  Unable to stop him alone, he entrusts Magizoologist Newt Scamander to lead an intrepid team of wizards, witches and one brave Muggle baker on a dangerous mission, where they encounter old and new beasts and clash with Grindelwald’s growing legion of followers.  But with the stakes so high, how long can Dumbledore remain on the sidelines?

You can watch the latest trailer here:

The film releases in the UK on 8 April and 15 April in the US. Following this, the screenplay of Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore will be published in the English language by Little, Brown (U.K.), Scholastic (U.S.) and Pottermore Publishing (ebook) on 19 July 2022. More languages will follow on that date.

Visit WizardingWorld.com for all the latest news and updates about Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.

 

 

The post Watch the second trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore appeared first on J.K. Rowling.

First look at new documentary Fantastic Beasts: A Natural History, coming soon to BBC

© BBC Studios

Stephen Fry, who famously narrated the UK Harry Potter audiobooks, will embark on a fantastical journey across the world in this upcoming BBC One special, entitled Fantastic Beasts: A Natural History.

In a unique collaboration with the BBC Natural History Unit, the Natural History Museum (which has now finished its exhibition, Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature) and Warner Bros., this documentary will unfurl all sorts of mysteries around fantastic beasts and real-life creatures across history that you may not believe could possibly exist.

Along the way, Stephen will chat to J.K. Rowling, to discuss the inspirations behind the creatures we meet in Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts, while also meeting with visual effects supervisor Christian Manz, who has lent his talents to several Wizarding World movies, bringing countless magical creations to life.

Fantastic Beasts: A Natural History, will feature on BBC One, iPlayer and international broadcasters very soon.

The post First look at new documentary Fantastic Beasts: A Natural History, coming soon to BBC appeared first on J.K. Rowling.

WB release trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

The film is released on 8th April 2022 in the UK, shortly followed by the U.S. on the 15th April 2022 and is directed by David Yates.

As always, wizardingworld.com have the full story, https://www.wizardingworld.com/news/watch-the-first-trailer-for-fantastic-beasts-the-secrets-of-dumbledore

The post WB release trailer for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore appeared first on J.K. Rowling.

Cursed Child returns reimagined to Broadway and opens in Hamburg

Following the successful re-openings of Melbourne and London, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has returned triumphant to the Lyric theatre New York in its new reimagined format, while in Hamburg, Harry Potter und das verwunschene Kind celebrated its German-language two-part premiere last Sunday.

The Broadway production, which has been boldly reimagined for its big comeback, opened to great critical acclaim, with the New York Times proclaiming it ‘Streamlined and still magical…this new version remains ravishingly entertaining’ and Broadway News calling it ‘A theatrical accomplishment of a very rare order.’  Theatremania wrote of the newly-staged, singular performance: ‘The show delivers spectacularly. Jamie Harrison’s illusions regularly receive showstopping applause, the kind which might make the actors jealous were it not for the fact that their performances are integral to making the magic seem real. If you suspend your disbelief just a little bit (it’s not hard considering the level of artistry at work) you’ll feel like a kid again, witnessing incredible wonders onstage.’

Potter fans also welcomed the one-part version, with Leaky Cauldron declaring: ‘the joy and inspiration hold true.…the Cursed Child team (cast, creative, and crew) has completely given their hearts to re-mounting something still bewitching to behold. The magic feels as fresh as it did on its original opening day, April 22, 2018, and the play itself commands both stunned awe and breathless reverence from an audience of 1500+ theatergoers.’

Meanwhile in Germany, the long-awaited opening of the original version at the newly refurbished Mehr! Theatre am Großmarkt in Hamburg –  the first non-English language production of the eighth story in the world – received an equally rapturous reception. Broadway World declared:‘HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD is a modern theatrical masterpiece. The art of making theatre reinvented. It gives you shivers down your spine, laughter, and also some tears.’

The two-part original will also be reimagined as a singular performance for theatres in San Francisco, Toronto and Tokyo in 2022, with Melbourne adopting this version in May 2022.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is now playing in London, New York, Melbourne and Hamburg.  For further details about all productions and all the latest news go to the website here.

 

 

 

 

The post Cursed Child returns reimagined to Broadway and opens in Hamburg appeared first on J.K. Rowling.

The Christmas Pig is here!

The wait is over! J.K. Rowling’s new children’s book The Christmas Pig is out today.

Her first children’s novel since Harry Potter, The Christmas Pig, illustrated by Jim Field, is the story of a little boy called Jack, and his beloved toy, Dur Pig, and the toy that replaces Dur Pig when he’s lost on Christmas Eve – the Christmas Pig. Together, Jack and the Christmas Pig embark on a magical journey to seek something lost, and to save the best friend Jack has ever known.

Already hailed as ‘a triumph… her best book since Azkaban’ (Evening Standard) and ‘this wonderful new story from a writer who truly understands what it is to be a child’ (Daily Mail), the book is published by Hachette Children’s Group in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and India, in the US and Canada by Scholastic, and in thirty-five translated languages by other publishers making it a truly global publication.

The English language audiobook is narrated by Amaka Okafor, with Rocco Padden as Jack, Gerran Howell as the Christmas Pig, alongside a full cast and immersive audio experience bringing the characters of this heartwarming adventure about one child’s love for his most treasured thing to life.

The audiobook by Audible is available in English, German, French, Italian, Latin American Spanish, Castilian Spanish, and Japanese.

To celebrate the launch of her new book, J.K. Rowling will be joined by illustrator Jim Field, and Rocco Padden, the voice of hero Jack, at a special family event at Alexandra Palace in London. A recording of the live event will be available to view on jkrowlingstories.com on Sunday 17 October from 10am BST, for all to enjoy.

J.K. Rowling has written a piece for the Sunday Times about the inspiration for the book, and was on BBC Radio 2’s Claudia Winkleman show on Saturday 9th October talking about the book – you can listen again here.

The post The Christmas Pig is here! appeared first on J.K. Rowling.

Listen to J.K. Rowling Talking to Poet Laureate Simon Armitage

J.K. Rowling will join Simon Armitage on his BBC Radio 4 programme, The Poet Laureate Has Gone to His Shed on Saturday 24th July at 7.15pm.

In the shed, J.K. Rowling discusses the joys and the pains of writing with fellow author Simon Armitage, explaining how she picked up a pen to start again after the huge success of the Harry Potter series.

She also brings a very special ‘show and tell’ into the shed, giving Simon the chance to dip into her very first notebooks, never before shown publicly, in which she jotted down early ideas for the first Potter book, including the names of the pupils in Harry’s class.

The post Listen to J.K. Rowling Talking to Poet Laureate Simon Armitage appeared first on J.K. Rowling.

Cover for The Christmas Pig Revealed

The cover design for J.K. Rowling’s new book for children, The Christmas Pig, has been revealed! Award-winning illustrator, character-designer and animation director Jim Field has produced a stunning illustration for the cover as well as nine black and white spreads and design features for the interior of the book.

J.K. Rowling commented: ‘Jim’s illustrations are simply perfect. It really is as though he got inside my head and drew what he saw there! I gasped out loud when I saw one particular illustration (I can’t say which it is without giving spoilers), because it was such a perfect representation of one of my favourite scenes.’

Jim Field said: ‘It was ever so slightly daunting when I thought about the number of people who are going to see this cover around the world… No pressure, Jim! Brilliantly, we all agreed on the cover design from the outset, so that allowed me plenty of time to get all the little details right. I wanted to create something filmic, timeless, that captures the excitement of J.K. Rowling’s incredible story and the wonder of Christmas, where the adventure begins. It is really a dream project and I’m so chuffed to be part of it.’

The Christmas Pig will be simultaneously published on 12th October 2021 in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and India by Hachette Children’s Group, in the US and Canada by Scholastic, and in thirty-five translated languages by other publishers making it a truly global publication.  It will also be simultaneously published as an audiobook by Audible in English, German, French, Italian, Latin American Spanish, Castilian Spanish, and Japanese.  Jim Field’s illustrations will feature on the covers of all editions.

The post Cover for The Christmas Pig Revealed appeared first on J.K. Rowling.

A Statement from J.K. Rowling following the death of Dick Robinson, CEO and Chairman of Scholastic

 

 

 

I heard the news of Dick Robinson’s passing with shock and profound sadness. Dick was a wise, kind and humane man, who leaves behind him an extraordinary legacy in the world of children’s literature. He was an early champion of Harry Potter and a stalwart support to me through the twenty-four years we knew each other. My thoughts are with everyone at Scholastic, who I know will be reeling from this unexpected news, and above all with Dick’s family, to whom I send my deepest sympathy. I’m just one of thousands of children’s authors who were proud to be published by Dick Robinson, and I’ll miss him very much indeed.

The post A Statement from J.K. Rowling following the death of Dick Robinson, CEO and Chairman of Scholastic appeared first on J.K. Rowling.

The Christmas Pig is Announced!

J.K. Rowling’s new children’s book has been announced!  The Christmas Pig will be simultaneously published on Tuesday 12th October 2021 in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and India by Hachette Children’s Group, in the US and Canada by Scholastic, in over twenty other languages by other publishers and as an audiobook in English, Spanish, German, French, Japanese and Italian by Audible, making it a truly global publication.

The Christmas Pig is a heartwarming, page-turning adventure about one child’s love for his most treasured toy, and how far he will go to find it.  It’s a standalone story, unrelated to any of J.K. Rowling’s previous work, and is suitable for children 8+: a tale for the whole family to fall in love with.

Jack loves his childhood toy, Dur Pig.  DP has always been there for him, through good and bad.  Until one Christmas Eve something terrible happens – DP is lost.  But Christmas Eve is a night for miracles and lost causes, a night when all things can come to life – even toys…  And Jack’s newest toy – the Christmas Pig (DP’s annoying replacement) – has a daring plan:  Together they’ll embark on a magical journey to seek something lost, and to save the best friend Jack has ever known…

Ruth Alltimes, Senior Group Publisher at Hachette Children’s Books, describes it as ‘a sparkling gem of a story that is destined to find its way into the hearts of children and families across the world this Christmas, and forever after.’  Ellie Berger, President of Scholastic Trade books, says ‘a gift for children and families alike, this story about the enduring power of love can be read together as a holiday tradition, and as a classic tale to be savoured, any day of the year.’

The Christmas Pig is J.K. Rowling’s first children’s novel since Harry Potter, and follows her brilliant return to publishing for children with last year’s fairy tale The Ickabog, which was serialised online for free for children in lockdown and then published with all her royalties donated to her charitable trust Volant to help vulnerable groups impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.  She looks forward to connecting with her younger readers again this winter.

The post The Christmas Pig is Announced! appeared first on J.K. Rowling.

Introducing J.K. Rowling’s Stories

Coming soon a new interactive section on J.K. Rowing’s website for younger readers to discover and explore the different imaginary worlds of her children’s fiction.

On J.K. Rowling’s Stories, visitors will first arrive at a writing desk that includes meaningful, personal items reflecting the author’s writing life.  Children will be able to dive into the magic of Harry Potter’s wizarding world, embark on an adventure with new character the Christmas Pig, or come face to face with the mythical Ickabog – at the same time as getting to know the author a little bit better.

In addition, The Ickabog social media channels will be rebranded to J.K. Rowling Stories so if you didn’t follow them before, check out the Facebook and Twitter pages as well as the newly launched Instagram for the latest on  J.K. Rowling’s children’s stories.

The post Introducing J.K. Rowling’s Stories appeared first on J.K. Rowling.