One To Look Out For: HBO’s ‘His Dark Materials’ Trailer Premieres at Comic Con

Following the widely debated end of Game of Thrones, HBO is gearing up for its next installment of prime television. The first season of His Dark Materials, an adaption of Philip Pullman’s fantasy trilogy of the same name, will hit screens this fall. 

Set in an alternate reality where every human is paired with an animal companion, Lyra (Dafne Keen) is an orphan who embarks on a dangerous journey to save and find her kidnapped friend. She encounters mystifying and terrifying beings alike as she also uncovers the schemes of a dark organization.

If the name or scenes in the trailer sound/look familiar, you may recognize the plot and its characters from the 2007 film, The Golden Compass, starring Nicole Kidman as Marisa Coulter and Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel. The first adaption famously disappointed fans of the novels and was critiqued for its focus on religion. 

This time around, Coulter and Asriel are portrayed by Ruth Wilson and James McAvoy. They are also joined by Broadway’s Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, In the Heights) as Lee Scoresby.

Due to the nature of long-form television, this adaption will be able to better abide by the themes and events in Pullman’s novels. HBO has also stated the focus of the series will be on the dynamics of control and “institution of oppression” as opposed to religion. The network has surprisingly also already renewed the show for a second season ahead of its premiere.

It’s wonderful to see a show with a young girl at the forefront, joining the ranks of other female-led HBO shows (Big Little Lies, Westworld, Euphoria). If you’re eager to find new content to look forward to in the wake of seasons and shows ending, look no further.

Did you like the trailer? If you’re a fan of the book series, do you think the show will do the trilogy justice? Discuss in the comments below!

His Dark Materials will air on HBO and BBC later this year.