HBO’s banking onHis Dark Materialsto be their nextGame of Thrones-like phenomenon. The series adaptation ofSir Philip Pullman’s beloved fantasy trilogy takes viewers on an adventure through parallel worlds and the war(s) that rage(s) between them. A new trailer is here, hot on the heels of HBO’sComic-Conpresentation.
The Victorian era-inspired background ofHis Dark Materialssees humans living in concert with their daemons, which are sort of like animal familiars and are physical manifestations of their souls. We’ll follow protagonistLyra Belacqua (Dafne Keen) as she crosses between several multiverses with her daemon, Pantalaimon. The story will follow the novels “Northern Lights”/The Golden Compass", “The Subtle Knife”, and “The Amber Spyglass” in that order, should the series stick around long enough to see Pullman’s fantasy adventure through to the conclusion.
Honestly, this trailer included everything that sells His Dark Materials as a must-watch fantasy event, at least for the first episode.James McAvoyis on the scene hamming it up to 11,Ruth Wilsonis out here serving lewks as a vaguely menacing antagonist, and Keen is still filled with the fire that made her such a breakout young performer across fromHugh JackmaninLogan. And if that main trio doesn’t get you aboard the airship, you’ve also gotLin-Manuel Mirandaas a charming rogue enlisting the help of an armored polar bear. I repeat, ladies and gentleman, an armored polar bear. Anyone familiar withHis Dark Materialsknows Pullman’s story promises the race of battle-bears known as thePanserbjørn, and this trailer finally delivers the goods. HBO’s nextGame of Thrones? That’s a tall order and only time can tell. But I can confidently say thatGame of Thronesnever, not even once, had an armored bear. (Unless you count Lyanna Mormont.)
Check out the new trailer forHis DarkMaterialsbelow:
And here’s the official synopsis for the upcoming series:
Adapting Philip Pullman’s award-winning trilogy of the same name, which is considered a modern masterpiece of imaginative fiction, the first season follows Lyra, a seemingly ordinary but brave young woman from another world. Her search for a kidnapped friend uncovers a sinister plot involving stolen children, and becomes a quest to understand a mysterious phenomenon called Dust. As she journeys through the worlds, including our own, Lyra meets Will, a determined and courageous boy. Together, they encounter extraordinary beings and dangerous secrets, with the fate of both the living — and the dead — in their hands.
For more onHis Dark Materials, be sure to get caught up by checking out our recent and related write-ups linked below:
