“His Dark Materials” has been renewed by HBO and BBC One for a third and final season, Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO programming, announced Tuesday.
Based on author Philip Pullman’s award-winning trilogy of the same name, “His Dark Materials” was renewed for a second season before the first one debuted in November 2019 on HBO. Season 2 premiered on Nov. 16 and will conclude Dec. 28 at 9/8c.
Production on the eight-episode third season of “His Dark Materials” is slated to begin in Cardiff in 2021.
The drama follows Lyra (Dafne Keen), a seemingly ordinary but brave young woman from another world. Season 2 began as Lyra, distraught over the death of her best friend, embarks upon a journey in a strange and mysterious abandoned city. There she meets Will (Amir Wilson), a boy from our world who is also running from a troubled past. Lyra and Will learn their destinies are tied to reuniting Will with his father but find their path is constantly thwarted as a war begins to brew around them. Meanwhile, Mrs. Coulter (Ruth Wilson) searches for Lyra, determined to bring her home by any means necessary.
“His Dark Materials” Season 2 stars Dafne Keen, Ruth Wilson, Amir Wilson, Ariyon Bakare, Andrew Scott, Will Keen, Ruta Gedmintas and Lin-Manuel Miranda. New cast members this season included Terence Stamp, Jade Anouka and Simone Kirby.
The series is executive produced by Jane Tranter, Dan McCulloch, Joel Collins and Julie Gardner for Bad Wolf, along with Pullman, Jack Thorne, Tom Hooper, as well as Deborah Forte, Toby Emmerich and Carolyn Blackwood for New Line Cinema, and Ben Irving for the BBC.
“His Dark Materials” is produced by Bad Wolf in association with New Line Cinema for BBC One and HBO.
“Bringing Phillip Pullman’s epic, intricate and culturally resonant body of work to television has been a tremendous privilege,” Orsi said. “We thank our incredible partners at the BBC and the entire Bad Wolf team, led by the indefatigable Jane Tranter, for their exceptional work on the first two seasons. We look forward to completing the trilogy with this final chapter in Lyra’s journey.”
“‘His Dark Materials’ has been a truly global TV experience and a personal career highlight,” Tranter added. “The creative team at Bad Wolf in Cardiff made the impossible possible and brought Philip Pullman’s worlds into vivid life. To see that hard work and dedication applauded and embraced by fans around the world has made all the hard work worthwhile. None of this would have been possible without the wonderful commitment and conviction of the BBC and HBO. I am excited, thrilled and honored to be making the third part of Philip Pullman’s trilogy with their support and encouragement. Diolch.”