Keira Knightley has donned her wand and stepped into Hogwarts, and some fans are already sharpening their pitchforks.
The 40-year-old actress will voice the notoriously despised Dolores Umbridge, a character infamous for her sadism and high-pitched cruelty, in Audible’s Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions.
Meanwhile, Game of Thrones star Kit Harington, 37, is set to play the shamelessly arrogant Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. The immersive audiobook series promises original music and real-world sound effects across more than 200 actors.
These include Hugh Laurie as Dumbledore, Matthew Macfadyen as Voldemort, Riz Ahmed as Snape, Michelle Gomez as McGonagall, and Cush Jumbo as narrator.
Ruth Wilson will take on Bellatrix Lestrange, Ambika Mod is Nymphadora Tonks, and Leo Woodall joins as Bill Weasley. Simon Pegg, James McAvoy, Gemma Whelan, and Matt Berry round out the starry ensemble.
While the cast reads like a star-studded dream, it has come with some pushback with Knightley as the main target.
Many of the original movie actors have cut ties with author J.K. Rowling over her controversial views on trans issues... publicly condemning her and refusing to participate in any new adaptations.
Knightley and Harington have sparked online outrage, with fans accusing them of 'selling out' by collaborating with Rowling-adjacent projects. “I can’t believe Keira is doing this,” one fan tweeted.
“Keira and Kit are getting dragged for something the rest of the original cast wouldn’t touch.” Another wrote, “Umbridge or not, this is so disappointing. They know what’s going on with JK. Totally tone-deaf.”
A third added, “Kit Harington in Lockhart? I’d expect better from him. Ugh.” Rowling's controversial comments have been widely criticised.
In a 2020 essay, she stated, “If sex isn't real, the lived reality of women globally is erased. I know and love trans people, but erasing the concept of sex removes the ability of many to meaningfully discuss their lives.”
She further emphasised, “I believe the majority of trans-identified people not only pose zero threat to others, but are vulnerable... trans people need and deserve protection... I feel nothing but empathy and solidarity with trans women who've been abused by men.”
Despite the negativity, the production continues to gather momentum. Audible plans to release the first audiobook, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, on November 4, followed by Chamber of Secrets on December 16.
The rest of the series will roll out monthly in 2026, with Prisoner of Azkaban on January 13, Goblet of Fire on February 10, and Order of the Phoenix on March 10.
Newcomers Frankie Treadaway, Max Lester, and Arabella Stanton will voice Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the first three books, with Jaxon Knopf, Rhys Mulligan, and Nina Barker-Francis taking over in the final four.
Knightley and Harington have not to responded to the online storm.
