BBC/HBO show His Dark Materials will return for season 2 in fall 2020, and it'll have a number of new characters and cast members when it does so. The first season did what the big-budget movie The Golden Compass had failed to do back in 2007, delivering a largely faithful and mostly great adaptation of Philip Pullman's book series. His Dark Materials wasn't a huge ratings hit for HBO - though it performed well on BBC in the UK - but the series was already renewed for season 2 before the first debuted.
That's a promising sign for fans hoping to see all three of Pullman's His Dark Materials books adapted onto the screen, with season 2 set to tackle the middle installment, The Subtle Knife. This was nicely setup by the events of His Dark Materials season 1's ending, which saw Lyra crossing the bridge created by severing her friend Roger from his daemon, heading into the city in the sky, which will be the key setting for season 2.
There, she'll meet Will Parry (a surprising inclusion in season 1) and discover the world(s) around them is much bigger than anticipated, all while being drawn further into a much larger battle at play. With all of that, it's hardly a surprise that a number of new characters will be thrown into the mix, and several have already been confirmed for His Dark Materials season 2.
John Parry & His Daemon, Sayan Kötör
Although viewers received an unexpectedly early glimpse of John Parry, Will's father, in His Dark Materials season 1, they'll be introduced properly to him in season 2. Sherlock actor Andrew Scott's casting in His Dark Materials was confirmed back in August 2019, which allowed the actor to appear in a couple of photographs during the initial run of episodes, but he's set for a much bigger role this time around. Parry, aka Stanislaus Grumman aka Jopari, is a key figure from the books and has a heavy involvement with the subtle knife, the object that can cut between dimensions and gives the second book its name, and the bigger plot at play.
In His Dark Materials season 1, Lord Boreal was attempting to track down the mysterious Grumman, a soldier from what's effectively the "real" world of the show. John/Grumman is a Shaman who helps lead the fight against the Authority, the overarching Big Bad of the His Dark Materials series, and strikes up a partnership with Lord Asriel (who won't be appearing in season 2). The trailer for His Dark Materials season 2 hints at some of the key events in John's storyline: meeting up with Lee Scorsby, who'll take him to Cittàgazze to find his son, Will, and discovering the subtle knife. These events will spark even bigger moments for John that will in turn help set in motion the events of the third book.
Alongside John is his daemon, Sayan Kötör, whom he doesn't meet until arriving in Lyra's world. An osprey, she's protective of John and speaks only to him, while also possessing the ability to travel considerable distances away from him. While the daemons weren't shown on screen too much in His Dark Materials season 1, there's reason to be excited for Sayan Kötör's appearance, which is that she'll be voiced by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, marking a reunion between Fleabag and the Priest.
Dr. Mary Malone
Another key figure from The Subtle Knife being introduced in His Dark Materials season 2 is Dr. Mary Malone, who'll be played by Simone Kirby (Peaky Blinders, Jimmy's Hall). Dr. Malone is a physicist and former nun in Will's world who becomes a key figure in the research into Dust, the mysterious particle that drives so much of the series' plot and characters. The season 2 trailer shows her first meeting with Lyra, who tracks her down to her laboratory via the Alethiometer. Lyra will end up showing her how the Alethiometer works and furthering her understanding of Dust considerably, ultimately sending Mary off on her own adventure.
She travels to the world of the mulefa, animals which have seed pods as wheels, where she continued her research, including the making of the amber spyglass, a device through which one can see Dust, and which gives the third and final book in the His Dark Materials its name. Mary has to play the "serpent" to Will and Lyra's Adam and Eve, making her yet another of the series' incredibly complex characters, which should play well in the TV adaptation.
Ruta Skadi
His Dark Materials season 1 introduced viewers to the witch Serafina Pekkala, and season 2 will continue to flesh that part of the story out further with the arrival of Ruta Skadi (played by Jade Anouka; Trauma, Cleaning Up), who leads the Lake Lubana clan (Serafina leads the Lake Enara clan). Over 400-years-old, Ruta is among the oldest and wisest of the witch queens, and one of the most prominent in the story. Her part to play picks up where season 1 left off, following Lord Asriel opening up a bridge between worlds, which forces the various witch clans to gather and discuss what to do next. Ruta is among those who wants to fight against the Church, which is teased in the season 2 trailer when she says that "the time has come to act...I believe we have no choice." She goes into the new world with her fellow witches, before setting off on her own mission in search of Asriel .
With Asriel not set to appear in His Dark Materials season 2 - a standalone episode was planned for him, but COVID-19 meant it was unable to go ahead - it's probable that, like in the books, much of that story will happen off-screen (where it's strongly implied that they become lovers) - but nonetheless Ruta should play a key part in leading the fight against the Magisterium alongside Serafina.
Giacomo Paradisi
Among the more high profile additions to His Dark Materials' already impressive cast is Terence Stamp, best known for playing General Zod in Superman and Superman II (and pictured above in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace). Stamp will bring his considerable presence to the role of Giacomo Paradisi, who is the bearer of the subtle knife in Cittàgazze. That world appears frequently in the His Dark Materials season 2 trailer, with the Torre degli Angeli, or Tower of Angels, featured prominently. It's the guild of that tower Giacomo works for, and for whom he holds the subtle knife: they're the organization who created and now protect the object.
Giacomo's role in the story is largely one of exposition: he serves to introduce and teach characters and audiences alike to and about the subtle knife, including how it works and how it should be used. Distinct by the missing fingers on his left hand - the mark of the subtle knife's bearer - Giacomo has dealings with both Will and John Parry, and while his role might not quite be as big as some of the other new characters, he'll be important to His Dark Materials season 2 nonetheless.