Daniel Radcliffe makes Harry Potter return… to help read first book in its entirety

Daniel Radcliffe makes his return to the wizarding world of Harry Potter, but not in the way fans might have been hoping for.

The actor behind The Boy Who Lived in the Potter films joins a number of celebrity guests, including Fantastic Beasts star Eddie Redmayne and Cursed Child stage actress Noma Dumezweni, in reading J.K. Rowling's book that started it all, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

Radcliffe, appropriately, kicks it off by reading Chapter 1, "The Boy Who Lived," in a video recording. Subsequent chapters will then be read by others from the lineup of special guests, including Stephen Fry, David Beckham, Dakota Fanning, and Claudia Kim. Fry narrated a number of Harry Potter videogames and Kim plays Nagini in the Fantastic Beasts movies. More celebrities will be announced at a later time.

This is probably the closest we're going to get to seeing Radcliffe return to his role of Harry Potter. In February, he told Variety that he doesn't see it happening on screen.

"I don’t like say no to things, but it’s not something that I’m rushing to do," he said. "I feel like those films have moved on and they’re doing just fine without us. I’m happy to keep it that way. I like what my life is now. I’m not saying that I’ll never go back into any franchise, but I like the flexibility that I have with my career now. And I don’t want to get into a situation where I’m signed up for one series for years in advance."

Radcliffe will soon be seen in Netflix's interactive special for Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. But, since we're all stuck at home these days, Radcliffe seems happy to offer up some new entertainment. This reading series of the first book is part of the Harry Potter at Home initiative, which seeks to put "a Banishing Charm on boredom" during the coronavirus quarantine.

Video of the first installment with Radcliffe can be seen online through Rowling's Wizarding World website or heard in audio form through Spotify.

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