Get used to seeing this cover for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. It’s going to be everywhere you look beginning July 31.

The final cover for The Cursed Child script book was released this week ahead of the book’s summer debut. Not so surprisingly, the cover is very similar to the not-final cover unveiled in February, but there are a couple of differences. And since we’re Harry Potter fans, we need to take a close look at all of these changes because it’s important to us okay?

Here it is:

And here are the changes:

  1. The book includes “Special Rehearsal Edition Script” at the top. It previously did not mention this.
  2. The words “Harry Potter” have more depth to them than they did previously.
  3. The title Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has moved from below the picture of Albus Severus to above him.
  4. “Parts I & II” has changed to “Parts One and Two”
  5. Most notably, J.K. Rowling’s name has doubled or tripled in size. This may be a point of contention for Harry Potter fans, given the author has made no secret of the fact that she didn’t actually write this play herself. Then again, her large name on the cover — the second largest line of text besides the words “Harry Potter” — remind us how deeply Rowling is involved with this project. We know that no twist has been written without her blessing, and everything that happens in The Cursed Child will be considered canon.

Compare the two covers for yourself. The old one is on the left, and the new one is on the right:

Remember, a final edition of this book will be published down the road once the script is set in stone. This Special Rehearsal Edition consists of the script the cast and crew are working with prior to the play opening, and as such, dialogue, scenes, etc. may change between rehearsals and opening night (July 30).

But everyone’s going to be purchasing this Rehearsal Edition because it’ll be the first chance the world has to hear “the eighth story.” It’ll be interesting to see if people pick up the final edition later this year, or if we’ll all be maxed out on our script book budgets.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’s opening date is set for July 30, with preview performances beginning June 7. Hypable’s team will be at those first preview performances and will have (spoiler-free) thoughts to share once we collect our feelings and can manage to put pen to paper.

Pre-order the book now via Amazon!