"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," the official "eighth story" in the beloved fantasy series, has cast the lead roles for the two-part stage production.

Jamie Parker will star as an adult Harry in the play, set 19 years after the end of J.K. Rowling's novels. He'll be joined by Noma Dumezweni as Hermione Granger and Paul Thornley as Ron Weasley.

The casting of a black actress as Hermione, a role portrayed in the films by Emma Watson, has garnered the most attention, leading Rowling to tweet, "Canon: brown eyes, frizzy hair and very clever. White skin was never specified. Rowling loves black Hermione."

Announced in June, "Cursed Child" picks up with Harry as an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic and the father of three children. Opening next summer in London, the play is written by Rowling and Jack Thorne, and directed by John Tiffany, with music by Imogen Heap.