'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child ' book release date: Script in book form to be published this summer

by Rosemarie Alba, |
Official artwork for 'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child' | Pottermore

Pottermore, the official website of British author J.K. Rowling's wizarding world, has announced that the script of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" will be published in book form. Both Parts I and II of the script will come out in print and digital versions after the premiere of the stage play this summer. 

According to the announcement, the preview of the play will be shown several weeks before its official first performance on July 30. It was mentioned in the post that this will give the creative team behind the play the opportunity "to rehearse and explore scenes further" before it premieres. The creative team will come up with a Special Rehearsal Edition of the book from this preview, and it will then be replaced by a Definitive Collector's Edition.

The announcement also features a picture of the design of the new book that is similar to the play's poster, although it also has a small caption at the lower right corner that says "cover not final." The design shows a picture of a little boy inside a nest with huge black wings. The boy in the design is the son of the once-young wizard Harry Potter.

Since this eighth story in the "Harry Potter" series takes place 19 years after the conclusion of the original story, it now features Harry as a dad. Fans will recall that the epilogue of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," the last book in the series, takes place 19 years after the conclusion of the young wizard's story, with the grown up Harry and wife Ginny Weasley bidding their kids farewell as the youngsters head to Hogwarts. The play's story picks up after this event. 

The post also announced the cast of this upcoming play. "Guys and Dolls" stage actor Jamie Parker will be the first actor to portray as Harry Potter in a stage play. Olivier Award-winning actress Noma Dumezweni will star as the Hermione Granger, while theater, film and TV actor Paul Thornley will play the role of Ron Weasley. However, the actor for the cursed child has yet to be announced.

CNN also reported that David Shelley, CEO of Little Brown Book Group, is thrilled to be publishing the script of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child."