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Right now, the Harry Potter franchise is entering a new era. The beloved original movies are all over a decade old at this point, and they still remain a cultural behemoth. Yet still, an all-new live-action adaptation has already begun filming, coming to HBO in 2027. And that's not all: Audible will soon debut a full-cast audio drama of the books.

Of course, Harry Potter has been around in audiobook form for years and years. Look no further than the version narrated by Stephen Fry, which is probably the most famous audiobook version of the story. However, the new project being cooked up by Audible is far from a traditional audiobook; it's a full-blown, ensemble cast audio dramatization. It adapts all seven novels in immersive Dolby Atmos, with an original score and real-world sound effects.

In recent years, Audible has published numerous immersive, ensemble adaptations of popular books. For instance, one...

On Sunday 17 November 2024, BBC Four broadcasts The Read!

1984 Season 3 Episode 1 Episode Summary

In the upcoming episode of “The Read” on BBC Four, viewers will experience a compelling and thought-provoking rendition of George Orwell’s classic novel *1984*. Award-winning actor Sacha Dhawan narrates this powerful tale, bringing to life the bleak, dystopian future that Orwell envisioned.

The story centers around Winston Smith, a man who works for the Ministry of Truth in a society where the government controls every aspect of life. As Winston begins to question the oppressive regime he lives under, the narrative explores themes of surveillance, freedom, and the nature of truth. Dhawan’s narration promises to captivate audiences, offering a fresh perspective on this profoundly impactful novel. This episode of “The Read” is sure to spark deep reflection on the relevance of 1984 in today’s world.

What Time is the “1984” Episode On?

The 1984 episode of The Read will...

David Erb might’ve come into Tuesday’s (September 24) Jeopardy! game as just a one-day champion (and with comparisons to a certain celebrity look-alike), but he walked away with a heavier bag and some very wide respect from audiences at home. In fact, after the episode, some fans are already predicting he will be an early contender for the next Tournament of Champions. Erb faced challengers Carter Scott, an outdoor guide from Georgia, and Rachael Crawley, a video writer from Canada, and had a one-day total of $17,655 at the start of the game. In the Jeopardy! round, Erb had a slight lead of $5,800 to Scott’s $5,400 and Crawley’s $2,800. In this round, Erb’s previous streak of finding all of the Daily Doubles was broken as Scott was the one to select that box this time around. The Double Jeopardy ...

‘1984’ by George Orwell (Photo Credit: Penguin Random House)

The American Library Association (Ala) runs the Office for Intellectual Freedom (Oif) to track attempts to ban or restrict access to books across the United States, and then to inform the public about censorship efforts in our libraries and schools. The last week of September is usually the time it sets aside for its annual Banned Books Week, which celebrates the freedom to read whatever you want. And what better way to celebrate that than by watching 10 films based on banned books that also ran into censorship issues? Celebrate the freedom to watch!

From the Ala website: “In 2023, Oif documented 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources, the highest number of attempted book bans since Ala began compiling data about censorship in libraries more than 20 years ago. 4,240 unique book titles were targeted for censorship in 2023, a 65% increase compared to 2022 numbers. A...

Andrew Garfield and Cynthia Erivo lead the cast in the Audible Original adaptation of George Orwell's 1984. The novel is set in a dystopian Britain, ruled by Big Brother, where propaganda, mass surveillance, and repressive politics dominate society. The audio adaptation features an original score performed by a 60-piece orchestra and promises a faithful yet expanded portrayal of the romantic relationship between Winston and Julia.

George Orwell’s seminal novel 1984 (Nineteen Eighty-Four) is being brought to life once again as an Audible Original adaptation, with The Amazing Spider-Man star Andrew Garfield and Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo set to lead the production as Winston Smith and Julia, respectively. Set for release later this year, the stacked cast also includes Fleabag and Sherlock star Andrew Scott as O’Brien and Inception and Venom actor Tom Hardy as the tyrannical symbol that is Big Brother.

First published in 1949, Nineteen Eighty-Four is set...

"Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture repainted, every statue & street building renamed, every date altered," writes author George Orwell in his prophetic novel "Nineteen Eighty Four", now being adapted as a five-part limited TV series by Wiip Studio, in a "bold new version" of the original story :

"...as the nation grapples with surveillance, media collusion, government cover-ups, cartel kickbacks, 'racist' slanders and a financially-driven 'Deep State' effortlessly breaking the law, because they are the law, the urgency of Orwell’s masterpiece these days is undeniable..."

First published in 1949, Orwell's novel focuses on 'Oceania', a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the 'Party'.

Life in the Oceanian province of 'Airstrip One' is a world of perpetual war, pervasive government surveillance and incessant public mind control, accomplished with a political system, administered by a privileged 'Inner Party' elite.

Everyone is subordinate to...

Several actors have played characters who, if put in a room together, would likely hate each other. Versatility is one of the best tools an actor can have, allowing them to blend into and embody whatever role they're given. Some famous actors like Sir John Hurt and David Tennant are known for their chameleon-like acting skills, so much so that their range of characters can seem hilarious when placed next to each other. Some of their characters could simply never get along.

Twitter user Kevstermania recently started a thread about this very idea, placing Spider-Ham from Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Jack Horner from Puss In Boots: The Last Wish next to one another. Both Spider-Ham and Jack Horner are voiced by actor John Mulaney and this example displays perfectly the concept of one actor playing diametrically opposed characters who would frustrate each other.

The Red Queen (Alice in Wonderland...

Some of the most memorable films focus on a protagonist that is an underdog. We love to root for a main character that has to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to accomplish their goal. Movies set within an Orwellian dystopian atmosphere are the perfect place to find such heroes. Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) in Andrew Niccol's 1997 science fiction thriller Gattaca is a guy you definitely want to see succeed. In fact, Freeman's story arc is so intriguing that an argument could be made that he's a more compelling and interesting character than Orwell's own Winston Smith in the prescient and standard-bearer for all things dystopia,1984. George Orwell's masterpiece is a seminal commentary on totalitarian oppression and is widely regarded as one of the finest stories ever told. His main character, however, is another story. Freeman is a far more layered and complex individual than the somewhat naive and vulnerable Smith,...

"Every record has been destroyed or falsified, every book rewritten, every picture repainted, every statue & street building renamed, every date altered," writes author George Orwell in his prophetic novel "Nineteen Eighty Four", now being adapted as a five-part limited TV series by Wiip Studio, in a "bold new version" of the original story :

"...as the nation grapples with surveillance, media collusion, government cover-ups, cartel kickbacks, 'racist' slanders and a financially-driven 'Deep State' effortlessly breaking the law, because they are the law, the urgency of Orwell’s masterpiece these days is undeniable..."

First published in 1949, Orwell's novel focuses on 'Oceania', a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the 'Party'.

Life in the Oceanian province of 'Airstrip One' is a world of perpetual war, pervasive government surveillance and incessant public mind control, accomplished with a political system, administered by a privileged 'Inner Party' elite.

Everyone is subordinate to the totalitarian...

In the Champions League of contemporary filmmaking, Claire Denis, the French writer and director synonymous with her unique dramas that seem uncannily able to balance scope and incision, is a regular finalist. “High Life”, Denis’s latest, is no stain on the brand she has built up among her appreciators over the past three decades; and, for newcomers, it offers a careful glimpse into a mystifying world and a wonderful creative mind.

“High Life” is interested primarily in habitation, human and otherwise, so it’s natural that we begin in a small garden on a tiny spaceship somewhere in the outer reaches of the known universe, accompanied audibly by a baby’s crying. Human nature (specifically intimacy) and its strange ability to invade even the coldest and most clinical of environments seems to be Denis’s primary subject matter. And the film’s title, an ironic spin on the cliché...