‘His Dark Materials’ season 2 release date, news, and more

The wait for His Dark Materials season 2 has begun. With the second installment of the series already filmed, only time stands between fans and new episodes.

The premiere of His Dark Materials season 2 is still somewhere in the distant future of 2020. Until then this news post will be updated as soon as new details about the upcoming episodes become available.

Air Date | Trailer |Book Spoilers | News, Comments, Teasers | Episodes

In the guide we will keep you posted on everything you need to know: airdates, trailers, promo pics, guest star announcements and all the information that we can garner from press releases, interviews, panels, cast and crew (namely Lin-Manuel Miranda’s) social media, about what to expect from His Dark Materials season 2.

‘His Dark Materials’ season 2 trailer

As part of the Comic-Con at home panel, the cast opened with a trailer for season 2. The first official look at the series’ return dedicates a good amount of time to newcomer Andrew Scott who was revealed last season to play Will Parry’s father, John Parry.

Rounding out the cast in the first-look are Simone Kirby as Dr. Mary Malone, Terence Stamp as Giacomo Paradisi, and Jade Anouka as Ruta Skadi.

‘His Dark Materials’ season 2 and beyond

His Dark Materials season 2 was announced before the first season was done filming by BBC director general Tony Hall. Sometimes talking to lawmakers about public network funding can contain some interesting media news! Since the series was greenlit early on, the production pushed forward filming the two seasons back-to-back rather than breaking for an extended hiatus.

Some production is still in motion, but Lin-Manuel Miranda wrapped his role as Lee Scoresby in the second season ahead of his character’s debut in His Dark Materials season 1, episode 4.

That’s a season 2 wrap on Lee Scoresby & Hester!
You’ll see season 1 in November!#HisDarkMaterials
🤠🐇 pic.twitter.com/sHfb16TrhT

— Lin-Manuel Miranda (@Lin_Manuel) September 27, 2019

The second season, with a likely third to be announced, will move swiftly into the pages of Philip Pullman’s second novel The Subtle Knife. The second installment in Pullman’s trilogy was introduced into what was largely The Golden Compass’ time to shine. By having Will and John Parry’s story laid out parallel to Lyra’s journey to the North, the second season will not have to do as much leg work to introduce us to the characters at the heart of the next phase of the story.

‘His Dark Materials’ season 2 air date

There is no set air date for the second season of His Dark Materials. However, we do know that there will be another eight-episode run. Unlikely to break the mold of running all the episodes without a break, a winter premiere seems likely with an October/November/December timeframe.

More information to follow once a premiere date is announced!

‘His Dark Materials’ book 2 spoilers

This section will provide a little more context for The Subtle Knife and what viewers can expect to see in the coming season. Here there is some more context given to what we have already seen in His Dark Materials season 1 and how that will play into what those moments mean for season 2.

It will not be spoiler-heavy but avoid reading if you want to see everything with fresh eyes!

The Subtle Knife is largely regarded as the fan favorite of the trilogy. For Will Parry to make his debut early on, it was quite nerve-wracking to see that his story was going to be introduced as a counter to Lyra’s story so early on in the series. But rather than try to cram two books into one, the first 12 pages or so were given time to breathe over eight episodes and build up a reason to care about this as well as get a sense of Boreal’s motivations.

Asriel says to Marisa Coulter, just before he steps through the bridge, that he could feel the warmth of the sunshine washing over him from some unknown place on the other side. Will has that same sense in The Subtle Knife after he follows the cat through the gate and into Boreal’s hidden garden to another world.

But Will knew without the slightest doubt that that patch of grass on the side was in a different world. He couldn’t possibly have said why. He knew it at once, as strongly as he knew that fire burned and kindness was good. — The Subtle Knife, chapter one

The life of John Parry, the Arctic explorer is a mystery to young Will. Going only by clips on the BBC and what his mother has told him, Will has pieced together some sense of the man his dad was. But the letters tucked away in his backpack are going to tell a different story, on that is captured in Will’s next adventure. The spirit and curiosity of an adventurer exists within Will and as his mother says in season 1, “You’ll take up his mantle.”

And though Elaine Parry’s words bear some similarity to that of a prophecy, many more whispers about Lyra are abound in this next phase of her journey. Yet again we will find her at the center of a series of events that she must know nothing about.

With Lyra off in another world, Lee Scoresby will take up a new mission when we find him again. And if you follow him on social media, there is no need to guess who will be involved in his storyline.

Meanwhile, Marisa Coulter, who chose to remain in this world after choosing her daughter over her ambition must reassess her path now that Asriel and Lyra are gone. Ruth Wilson has been a dream to watch in the role of Mrs. Coulter and the narrative coming down the line for her character will surely continue to fuel some great performances. We will see her converge with an early confidant from season 1 as she hunts down more information about her daughter.

What is the Subtle Knife?

Finally, it would be foolish to not bring up the namesake of the second book — The Subtle Knife. Like the alethiometer, the knife is an object that will be a focus of the series as Boreal continues on his quest to find John Parry. “There is a knife in a tower surrounded by Angels and his son will lead you to it,” Fra Pavel tells Boreal in the finale of season 1. The knife, like the alethiometer will provide answers that officials of the Magisterium may or may not wish to come to light.

The knife is an object that several people are after for the properties of its blade hold powers similar to that of another mechanism we’ve seen in season 1. The knife will find its way into the hands of one person who must protect it and its secrets at all costs.

‘His Dark Materials’ season 2 cast

We met a good number of the key player for the trilogy in season 1, spending little bits of time with them here and there. Some new faces will arrive in the second season of the series and, yes, we will spend a bit more time with the Hot Priest, Andrew Scott as Will Parry. Some people might be noticeably absent, however, as the storyline does not track each person’s movements.

This includes James McAvoy’s Lord Asriel. Although Lyra does follow Asriel’s path through the opening between worlds, she does not catch up to him straight away. McAvoy, speaking to Radio Times, said ahead of the second season that he hopes his character does not return, citing preservation of the events as they unfold in the novel. McAvoy is a huge fan of the novels and upon taking the role of Asriel, he said, “I know that character inside out, I know the books inside out.” So, naturally, he would not want his character to have a dramatic interlude where it is not warranted. “I’m still waiting to read [the season 2 scripts] and it had better be good – because the book’s perfect as it is, so if they’re going to thrust me into it, it had better be worth it,” he said.

The most exciting bit of casting news for His Dark Materials season 2 will be the role of Mary Malone.

Otherwise, you can expect to see the cast listed below come premiere time:

Dafne Keen as Lyra Silvertongue
Kit Connor as Pantalaimon, Lyra’s daemon
Ruth Wilson as Marisa Coulter
Amir Wilson as Will Parry
Ariyon Bakare as Lord Carlo Boreal
Andrew Scott as John Parry
Lin-Manuel Miranda as Lee Scoresby
Cristela Alonzo as Hester, Lee Scoresby’s daemon
Ruta Gedmintas as Serafina Pekkala
David Suchet as Kaisa, Serafina Pekkala’s daemon
Nina Sosanya as Elaine Parry
Gary Lewis as Thorold
Simone Kirby as Mary Malone
Terence Stamp as Giacomo Paradisi
Jade Anouka as Ruta Skadi
Possible return: James McAvoy as Lord Asriel
Possible return: Joe Tandberg as Iorek Byrnison

‘His Dark Materials’ season 2 news, comments and teasers

Executive producer Jane Tranter tweeted during the conclusion of season one saying, “And so we have arrived at the final episode of season 1 of His Dark Materials. It is an ending, but it is also a beginning. Now, as Lyra ventures into a whole new world, so will we. 2020 shall be very exciting in our world of adaptation, and we cannot wait to share it all with you.”

The new world will be the city of Cittàgazze with adventures in store for both Will and Lyra. It is unclear who has worked on season 2 from a creative standpoint. The first season was written entirely by Jack Thorne and cycled through six directors, with five taking turns handling the adventures of Lyra and William McGregor taking the mantle on carrying out Will Parry’s storyline.

Stay tuned for more information as we compile news and comments. Episode-specific details will be filed under their relevant episode in the episode guide below.

‘His Dark Materials’ season 2 episode guide

Episodes that have already aired will move to the bottom.

‘His Dark Materials’ season 2, episode 1

Other details: This episode will likely pick up in a new city called Cittàgazze. The city is very different from the climate of Cardiff and was constructed on soundstages for the cast and crew to film. The location is a central location for the opening episodes of the second season.