HBO Boards His Dark Materials

HBO has joined the BBC, Bad Wolf and New Line Cinema as a co-producer on His Dark Materials, an eight-episode adaptation of Philip Pullman’s acclaimed trilogy.

The show is currently ordered for two seasons. The first follows Lyra, a seemingly ordinary but brave young woman from another world. Lyra’s search for a kidnapped friend uncovers a sinister plot involving stolen children and becomes a quest to understand a mysterious phenomenon called Dust.

Dafne Keen stars as Lyra Belacqua, an adventure-seeking 13-year-old from a world that is both like and unlike our own. James McAvoy will play Lord Asriel Belacqua, a brilliant scholar and a fearless explorer. Ruth Wilson stars as Mrs. Coulter, an enigmatic woman whose origins hold many secrets, and who has gained power in a patriarchal society against the odds.

HBO has secured worldwide rights for the series, excluding the U.K.