Season 3 is the supposed conclusion to HBO Max’s fantasy epic His Dark Materials, but could there be more to come?
HBO Max recently released the third and final episode of Are dark materials, which concluded the epic journey of Lyra Silvertongue and Will Parry. In the finale, Lyra and Will manage to defeat the Authority and restore Dust, and thus balance, to the universe. While their love for each other saved the multiverse, it seems the pair were never destined to last as the worlds must be returned to their natural order, with Lyra and Will returning to their respective homes. Before separating Lyra and Will, the two vow to return to the same place once a year to be together and remember each other. And as time passes, they keep their promise. The show ends there, but not without teasing another story involving Lyra and Pan.
This final statement makes us wonder whether it will be forthcoming more of Are dark materials or possibly a spin-off series following another of Lyra and Pan’s adventures. As it stands, the show has not been renewed for a fourth season, and each of the three seasons follows a book from the Philip Pullman trilogy of the same name. This suggests that this is the the end of Are dark materials. While it was originally planned to continue for several more seasons, this plan has since been scrapped and the show concluded with season three. However, Pullman has written additional books about Lyra and Pan, meaning there’s definitely still the potential for a spin-off series.
A new adventure for Lyra and Pan
You’re not alone if you’re wondering what new adventure Lyra and Pan have in store. If we assume that a spin-off series could follow the Pullman-written sequels, we could potentially see both a prequel and a sequel to Are dark materials. The book La Belle Sauvage is set 12 years before the events of the original trilogy, when Lyra was still a baby. It tells the story of a young boy named Malcolm who protects Lyra and makes sure she reaches the safety of Jordan College. However, we think it’s more likely there could be a sequel spin-off based on how season three ended and teased a new adventure for Lyra and Pan.
This brings us to the next book that a new show adaptation could be based on: Lyra’s Oxford. A few years after the war, Lyra saves a witch’s daemon and promises to help him, but it turns out it’s a trap for Lyra. The witch seeks revenge on Lyra for her son’s death in the war. Another book that a spin-off could follow is The Secret Commonwealth. Lyra is now a 20-year-old college student studying academics that Pan disapproves of. The two get into a fight that separates them and Lyra embarks on yet another journey revolving around Dust.
Pullman plans to write a third book to complete The fabric book trilogy (of which La Belle Sauvage and The Secret Commonwealth are the first two) in 2023. Are dark materials producer Jane Tranter has expressed interest in making a show based on this series, meaning we could see an adaptation as early as 2025. Actress Dafne Keen is also eager to return as Lyra if this project becomes a reality.
Other His Dark Materials spin-offs
Philip Pullman has also written a novella called Once upon a time in the north which focuses on another character in Lyra’s world who played an important role in Are dark materials. This book tells the story of fan-favorite characters Lee Scorsby and Iorek Byrinson. Young Lee, as so often, gets into trouble and along the way he meets and befriends Iorek. Given the popularity of the characters, we could see a spin-off centered around these two, or maybe Tranter can handle it in the future Fabric book series.
While no books have been written about Will Parry, his story could also be an interesting avenue to explore further, especially considering how his life and future have been forever changed by Lyra and their adventures together. Despite returning to his own world where humans have no daemons (or at least no animal manifestations of them), Will now has a physical daemon accompanying him. It could be interesting to see how he’s adapted to his world and if he has any future adventures in store, whether they revolve around Dust or the Blade or something else entirely.
So while it is that Are dark materials won’t be returning for a fourth season, there are plenty of possibilities to explore for future adaptations. Like many fans, we certainly hope to see more of Pullman’s fantastic worlds and characters, and the season three finale leaves that door open for speculation.