Dates Confirmed for Harry Potter in London's West End; Play Set Nineteen Years After Deathly Hallows

Muggles, are you ready? The hotly anticipated Harry Potter play, which will be staged in two parts in the West End, is now officially described as follows: "the eighth story. Nineteen years later." Harry Potter and The Cursed Child's first installment will begin previews on June 7, 2016. The official opening day, where both parts will be performed, is scheduled for July 30 at the Palace Theatre.

The world premiere will be based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. Penned by Thorne and directed by Tony winner Tiffany (Once), the production's plot description reads: "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. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places."

The seven-volume Harry Potter series has sold more than 450 million copies and been translated into 77 languages. The books were adapted into eight movies starring Broadway.com Audience Choice Award winners Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter and Rupert Grint as Ron Weasley, along with Emma Watson as Hermione Granger. Casting for the West End production's company of more than 30 will be announced later.

Currently home to The Commitments, which will close on November 1, the Palace Theatre usually plays host to musicals, but we somehow have a feeling that they'll have no problem selling tickets.

We also sense that this has "Broadway transfer" written all over it.