'Harry Potter and the cursed child' to be a book (plus..)

Pottermore, the site for all things Harry Potter, has just unleashed some huge news. Are you ready? The play, Harry Potter and the cursed child is to be made into a physical book, with print and digital editions published simultaneously after play's world premier. 

Yes, so, a new Harry Potter book! The play, Harry Potter and the cursed child, is due to premiere in London on July 30th. And immediately after the premiere - at 00:01 July 31st - the play's script will take print and digital book form, known as the Special Rehearsal Edition.

That edition of Harry Potter and the cursed child I & II, will tell the story of the play using the script from the play's preview performances. Then, at a later date, the finalised version of the script will be replaced with the Definitive Collector’s Edition. Both titles are to be published by Little, Brown in the UK, with the first edition (at least) retailing at £20.

Fun fact: Little, Brown published JK Rowling's Casual Vacancy and her 'Robert Galbthrait' titles.

Anyway, we're a bit breathless writing this because, as dedicated Potter fans may know, The Cursed Child play and books will be set 19 years after The Deathly Hallows, at a time when things have...changed for Harry. A snippit from the synopsis of the play reads thus:

It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and father of three school-age children.

Even wizards have it tough. But plenty to look forward to. And even more if The Bookseller is on point, because the deal to publish the title/s was made by The Blair Partnership. Of the deal we're told:

The Blair Partnership also said a programme of new Harry Potter print and digital products will roll out "well into 2019", to include Warner Bros. licensed publishing relating to the film Harry Potter and the film Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which will be released in November.

So, we'd say there's rather a lot to look forward to!