His Dark Materials season three is definitely on the way to bring a thrilling conclusion to Lyra's fantasy tale.
Based on Philip Pullman's third book The Amber Spyglass, the third and final season will be on our screens by the end of 2022.
As you can imagine, it was a heartbreaking goodbye for the cast, not least for leading lady Dafne Keen. "I'm trying not to think about it because I think a lot and I'm really, really looking forward to getting back," she told Collider in December 2020.
"People on set have become my second family because I've known them for a few years now. They've seen me grow up, and I really miss them. I can't wait to go back. People are like, 'I can't wait for holiday,' but I can't wait to get back to filming."
Here's everything you need to know about His Dark Materials season three.
His Dark Materials season 3 release date: When will it air?
Finally! The news fans have been waiting for has come! The release date for season three of His Dark Materials has been announced and it is oh so close.
All episodes will be available to stream on December 18th, marking the bittersweet end of the show’s final season.
The news was announced via the show’s official Twitter account with a tweet saying:
"UK fans... It's time to discover new worlds," the show tweeted. "Catch all episodes of #HisDarkMaterials season 3 on BBC iPlayer Sunday 18th December and weekly on BBC One."
The show finished post production in November 2021 and capped its end with a sweet message on His Dark Materials' official Twitter account page which read:
"It has been an incredible six-year journey through the Worlds of #HisDarkMaterials, but it's time to close the doors on the final chapter. That's a wrap on Season 3.”
Related: His Dark Materials series 1 and 2 boxset on sale for 20% off – how to buy
The previous two seasons have been given prime placement in the winter schedule for both the BBC and HBO, launching in November and playing out through to the end of December, coming to its conclusion just before Christmas day.
Given the amount of post-production work, including the CGI needed to create every character's animal daemons, we'd hedge our bets that they're aiming for a similar release time in 2022.
And Ruth Wilson did let slip a potential release date on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2, suggesting that season three of His Dark Materials will air "this November".
"That's what I'm hearing," she said, before telling listeners that the new episodes will see the events of last season coming "to a head".
At one point, the final book's story was going to be split in two seasons rather than one, but unfortunately it wasn't possible to make it work.
"I wanted to split it in two, but we're doing it in one. You can't always have what you want," executive producer Jane Tranter told Deadline. "I'm just greedy. I really like the real estate of television.
"I like stories told really slowly and that kind of like, 'Let's really dig into this,' but truthfully that was me just longing to go on making His Dark Materials all of my life, and actually, The Amber Spyglass is quite right adapted into eight episodes and I will fully and humbly admit I was completely wrong and talking out my butt."
His Dark Materials season 3 cast: Who's coming back?
The BBC has confirmed that the following characters will all feature: Lyra (Dafne Keen), Will (Amir Wilson), Mrs Coulter (Ruth Wilson), Mary Malone (Simone Kirby), Serafina Pekkala (Ruta Gedmintas), Father MacPhail (Will Keen) and Lord Asriel (James McAvoy).
Lord Asriel made a sudden, last-minute appearance at the end of season two, appearing in a cameo after being absent for a large part of Lyra's adventures.
The selfish adventurer had been known to Lyra as her uncle for her entire life, so she was left devastated at the discovery he was actually her biological father.
After he disappeared, it seemed like James McAvoy would be unable to reprise the role for the second season, but screenwriter Jack Thorne revealed the actor was fundamental in making it work.
He told Radio Times: "Executive producer Dan McCulloch moved mountains to make it happen and James McAvoy, very brilliantly and generously, came in and gave us a COVID day.
"It's one of the things I most admire about James, he planted his feet and shouted at the sky, and it was glorious to see him do so.
"I am so so pleased it was kept a secret up to this point, and grateful to the previewers for not spoiling it."
And some new faces have been added to the cast: Suicide Squad's Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Commander Ogunwe, The Durrells' Jamie Ward as Father Gomez and Amber Fitzgerald-Woolf as Ama.
Kobna Holdbrook-Smith (Justice League), Simon Harrison (Endeavour) and Chipo Chung (Into the Badlands) will appear as rebel angels Balthamos, Baruch and Xaphania, respectively.
Meanwhile, Sian Clifford (Fleabag) and Jonathan Aris (Good Omens) will join season three as Agent Salmakia and Commander Roke respectively. They're better known as the Gallivespian spies in the final Pullman book.
There's also a chance we'll see Lyra's friend Roger (Lewin Lloyd), who featured in season one.
Lee Scoresby (Lin-Manuel Miranda), Lord Boreal (Ariyon Bakare) and Colonel John Parry (Andrew Scott) all met their makers in season two, and while we wouldn't bet all our money on them not coming back, it feels likely that they're gone.
Peaky Blinders star Helen McCrory was the voice of Stelmaria, Lord Asriel's daemon, but following her death in April 2021, it remains to be seen how the creators will address that.
"We haven't thought about it," McAvoy told The Times. "I don't think we want to talk about it, but when we do, somebody else will be honoured to step into her, well... if not footsteps, then her voicesteps."
Speaking of cast members, His Dark Materials season three will be welcoming a new character to its ranks. For the third and final series the creators have decided to up the fantastical ante by introducing the show's more complex creatures, the mulefa (a zalif in its singular form). The zalif is a sentient being that will be trudging its way into the new series but apparently their transition from book to screen has not been a smooth ride.
"We'd talked about it a lot because it was what we were frightened of," Executive producer Jane Tranter told Entertainment Weekly when discussing how they were adapted. "We would address the mulefa in the room, if you like, constantly."
The mulefa of His Dark Materials are set to be a little different to what we've read on the pages so there's plenty to look forward to.
His Dark Materials season 3 plot: What will happen?
The upcoming season is based on the third and final book in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials book series, The Amber Spyglass.
The rebellion against the Authority becomes open warfare, with Asriel working to build a new Republic of Heaven. But to achieve his ends he needs the Subtle Knife, which is currently in Will's hands.
"The Amber Spyglass is the most gloriously complex of Philip Pullman's novels to adapt for TV but with our world-class creative team in Cardiff no challenge is too daunting," Tranter told Radio Times.
"This season is both an epic adventure and a story about love and truth. Jack, Francesca and Amelia's scripts capture the brilliance of Philip's worlds and we are joined by our much-loved existing cast and some exceptional talent new to the series."
The His Dark Materials Twitter account has released some photos that give a dark, gritty vibe captioned: "The end begins. #hisdarkmaterials #theamberspyglass." Not ominous at all…
Related: His Dark Materials unveils new Funko POP!s ahead of final season – how to buy
Lyra has been captured by Mrs Coulter, who is determined to stop her daughter from fulfilling the witches' prophecy and becoming the second Eve, in turn saving humanity.
"I hope that we walked the line where you can see Mrs Coulter in two ways," Jack Thorne said of the character when chatting to The Beat before the season two finale.
"You can see someone that's intent on pursuing power and you can see someone that's intent on pursuing Lyra, and that there is a contradiction within her to what she truly wants, and she hasn't resolved that question."
We'd also expect to learn more about the angels (or watchers), as well as being taken to new worlds, including the Land of the Dead, and a world where sentient, elephant-like creatures, the mulefa, roam.
And in season two, there was also a moment in the second episode involving a particular bench that was a nod to a big moment in the third book, which hints at how the series will wrap up.
We dive into all of that and more right here, so fill your boots, folks.
As is so often the case with season threes (hello Buffy, Angel, and, um, Friends), fans should expect a deeper and darker ride. "I think it’s a lot darker, a lot sadder," Wilson told Radio Times.
"It’s definitely more emotional. I think it was definitely harder to film. There's a lot more going on, I think the introduction of a lot more characters as well. It’s a lot to look forward to."
Asked to describe the season in three words, he said "love, loss and death." That… that doesn’t sound like much fun.
Whatever happens, expect the series to be BIG. The Amber Spyglass is packed full of action and emotion, and we can expect to see the same on screen.
His Dark Materials season 3 trailer: When can I see it?
Oh, it’s here and a battle to end all battles is about to commence. It’s only fitting, this is the final season.
McAvoy’s Lord Asriel can be seen amassing an army to challenge the Authority, the first angel to be formed from Dust.
"I am gathering the greatest from every world to help me wage war," Asriel announces, adding that he would go to great lengths to ensure victory. Chills. No more words, just watch.
His Dark Materials series 1 and 2 are available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.
![His Dark Materials Season 2 (Includes 4 Art Cards) [DVD] [2020]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1607942882-415ghtY9aQL.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=320%3A%2A "His Dark Materials Season 2 (Includes 4 Art Cards) [DVD] [2020]")
![His Dark Materials - Season 1 (Includes 4 Art Cards) [DVD] [2020]](https://hips.hearstapps.com/vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1605013803-51p1sIg66kL.jpg?crop=1xw:1xh;center,top&resize=320%3A%2A "His Dark Materials - Season 1 (Includes 4 Art Cards) [DVD] [2020]")
