Here's what to expect from His Dark Materials season 2, including when it releases and what the story will be. The first season of His Dark Materials has told the story of Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass (aka Northern Lights) as expected, but made some fairly major changes along the way.
While the big plot points are largely the same, the Magisterium was a much bigger presence, and there were a few minor switches - all of which worked to make it more appropriate for a TV format. Possibly the biggest change, though, was the early introduction of Will Parry (Amir Wilson), and 'our' world as one parallel to Lyra's (Dafne Keen).
Will didn't have a huge part to play in this season, but viewers were introduced to him, his mother, and his connection to Grumman, as well as to Lord Boreal's (Ariyon Bakare) ability to pass between worlds. This is a perfect way to set up His Dark Materials season 2, so here's everything we know and what fans can look forward to.
BBC & HBO Have Renewed His Dark Materials For Season 2
A second season was confirmed for His Dark Materials back in 2018, when the first season was still filming. This was something of a gamble for the show, and meant that BBC/HBO was banking on it being a success. It was also a decision made so that star Dafne Keen wouldn't end up growing up a huge amount between the filming of the first and second seasons, which would cause problems for the timeline. The good thing about this is it means that the first and second seasons were written together - or at the very least, the first season was written with the second in mind. This should mean His Dark Materials season 2 is consistent and fits well, and hopefully means that should it prove popular, the third season can start filming soon.
When Will His Dark Materials Season 2 Be Released?
As of yet, there is no official release date for His Dark Materials season 2. However, it's possible to speculate, based on the fact that the second season has already been filmed. The second season has been confirmed to be eight episodes long (like the first), as the original order was for 16 episodes. It's likely that this would air around the same time in 2020 that season one started in 2019, so fans can expect the next season to begin around November.
Who Is In His Dark Materials Season 2's Cast
The majority of His Dark Materials season 2's cast will be the same as that of season 1. Fans can expect to see a little more of Will, as he is a much bigger character in this part of the story. A couple of other major players are unlikely to have quite as much screen time this season, either: Iorek Byrnison (Joe Tandberg), Lord Asriel (James McAvoy), and even Mrs. Coulter (Ruth Wilson) are characters who take a step back in the story until the events of the third book. Given that the series is making changes to the source material, it's probable that we will continue to see more of Mrs. Coulter and the Magisterium, but this is not guaranteed.
There will also be a couple of additions to the cast in the next season. The biggest (and already confirmed) is that of John Parry, played by Sherlock's Andrew Scott. John appeared in a very small way in season one, in a video that Boreal was watching, and in photos. However, he is going to be a major player in season 2. The character of Dr. Malone will also presumably be a big part of this season, but no casting has yet been announced.
What His Dark Materials Season 2's Story Will Be
The storyline for His Dark Materials season 2 is likely to follow that of The Subtle Knife. The start of the second book sees Lyra and Will meet in another world, in a place called Citagazze, where they discover a world without adults or daemons, and where a mysterious knife is being kept in the Tower of Angels. The book moves between Will's world and various others, as the two children learn to trust each other.
Part of this story does also take place in Lyra's world, as Lee Scoresby (Lin-Manuel Miranda) sets out in search of Grumman, sent by the witches to discover where he is. Eventually, should the series follow the book, the two will connect, starting the third book: an adventure into the nature of Dust, death, God, the Magisterium, and the power struggles across all the universes there are.