‘His Dark Materials’ Renewed for Third and Final Season at HBO, BBC

Will Thorne
·3 min read

Lyra Belacqua’s story is getting a closing chapter.

HBO and the BBC have renewed “His Dark Materials,” the series adaptation of Philip Pullman’s classic novels, for a third and final season. The first two seasons have mirrored the books relatively closely, so it’s no huge surprise the show is being given one last outing to take a crack at “The Amber Spyglass,” the final book in Pullman’s trilogy.

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News of the renewal comes less than a week after the season 2 finale is set to drop HBO, and only two days after the curtain call aired in the U.K. Production on the eight-episode third season is slated to begin in Cardiff in 2021.

In its second season, “His Dark Materials” continues to follow the adventures of Lyra Belacqua (Dafne Keen), her daemon Pan and her terrifying mother Mrs. Coulter (Ruth Wilson). Lyra’s path has become deeply intertwined with that of Will Parry (Amir Wilson), a boy from another world where daemons don’t exist and where dust is something you sweep up. Meanwhile, feisty Texan aeronaut Lee Scoresby (Lin-Manuel Miranda) is sent on a dangerous mission to find a mysterious explorer (Andrew Scott).

Keen, Miranda and Scott spoke with Variety before the season to preview what was to come.

“Bringing Phillip Pullman’s epic, intricate and culturally resonant body of work to television has been a tremendous privilege,” said Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO Programming. “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.”

Season 2 also starred Ariyon Bakare, Andrew Scott, Will Keen, Ruta Gedmintas and Lin-Manuel Miranda as the feisty Texan aeronaut Lee Scoresby. New cast members this season included Terence Stamp, Jade Anouka and Simone Kirby.

“It’s been a joy to see how ‘His Dark Materials’ has brought British TV audiences of all ages together on BBC One and BBC iPlayer,” said Ben Irving, BBC Drama commissioning editor, Wales. “Fans of Phillip Pullman’s incredible books, and newcomers alike, have been enthralled by adventuring with Lyra and Will through multiple worlds. We are thrilled that they will be able to continue their journey in a third series of this beautifully realized drama. Our thanks to our partners at HBO and the dedicated creative team at Bad Wolf for making a landmark series that will continue to be watched and enjoyed on the BBC for years to come.”

The series is produced by Bad Wolf in association with New Line Cinema for BBC One and HBO. Executive producers on the show include Jane Tranter, Dan McCulloch, Joel Collins and Julie Gardner for Bad Wolf; Philip Pullman, Jack Thorne, Tom Hooper; Deborah Forte, Toby Emmerich and Carolyn Blackwood for New Line Cinema; and Ben Irving for the BBC.

“’His Dark Materials’ has been a truly global TV experience and a personal career highlight,” added Tranter. “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”

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