We’ve been eagerly awaiting more news regarding BBC and production company Bad Wolf’s upcoming take on Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials novel series since it was announced, and today they’ve finally dropped a big one: basically the entire cast list.
Dafne Keen (Logan) is playing young protagonist Lyra, and leading a rather impressive cast made up of the likes of James McAvoy, Ruth Wilson and Lin-Manuel Miranda.
Read the full casting breakdown here:
DAFNE KEEN takes on the lead role of Lyra, the young protagonist of the story who lives in Jordan College, Oxford. Placed there at the request of her Uncle, Lord Asriel (JAMES McAVOY) she lives a sheltered life amongst the scholars and college staff while under the watchful protection of The Master (CLARKE PETERS) and Librarian Scholar Charles (IAN GELDER).
When the glamorous and mesmeric Mrs Coulter (RUTH WILSON) enters Lyra’s life she embarks upon a dangerous journey of discovery from Oxford to London. Here she meets Father MacPhail (WILL KEEN), Lord Boreal (ARIYON BAKARE) and journalist Adele Starminster (GEORGINA CAMPBELL) at a glittering society party where she first hears about the sinister General Oblation Board.
Lyra is subsequently thrown into the nomadic world of the boat dwelling Gyptians – Ma Costa (ANNE-MARIE DUFF), Farder Coram (JAMES COSMO), John Faa (LUCIEN MSAMATI), Raymond Van Geritt (MAT FRASER), Jack Verhoeven (GEOFF BELL) and Benjamin de Ruyter (SIMON MANYONDA) who take her North in her quest.
Once in the North she meets charismatic aeronaut and adventurer Lee Scoresby (LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA) who joins them on their epic journey and who becomes one of Lyra’s closest allies.
Talented young actors joining the cast include LEWIN LLOYD as Roger Parslow, DANIEL FROGSON as Tony Costa, TYLER HOWITT as Billy Costa and ARCHIE BARNES as Pantalaimon.
We can’t be the only ones whose excitement levels are currently off the charts.
In a press release, Philip Pullman said: “I’m delighted that the production is under way, and I’m looking forward immensely to seeing how it looks. Bad Wolf has assembled a wonderful cast and I’m sure every HDM reader is as keen as I am to see it all coming together.”
Bad Wolf founder and Executive Producer Jane Tranter says: “The calibre of our cast and directors is a testament to the brilliance of Jack Thorne’s scripts and also the sheer bravura, depth and imagination of Philip Pullman’s original novels. Our determination is to sound every note of the books in a series that will fully explore the many worlds and concepts in Philip’s work. Bad Wolf has assembled a world class production team at Wolf Studios Wales in Cardiff who will bring Philip’s incredible works to life for a whole new audience.”
The TV series is being directed by Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) and penned by Harry Potter And The Cursed Child scribe Jack Thorne.
“His Dark Materials are the most beautiful set of books, taking us into a world of constant imagination,” said Thorne. “Reading them I was a massive fan, in adapting them I’ve increasingly felt in awe of them. It’s the constant invention, the way the story never sits still, and that the characters constantly surprise you. It’s been a joy being part of a creative team for this; from Tom’s incredible analytic mind and amazing eye, to Joel’s beautiful world building, to everyone else involved. And then there’s the cast, which has proved to be the cast of dreams, we are so lucky to have been able to entice them in.”
His Dark Materials will be executive produced by Dan McCulloch, Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner for Bad Wolf, Philip Pullman, Jack Thorne, Tom Hooper, and Deborah Forte, Toby Emmerich and Carolyn Blackwood for New Line Cinema, and Ben Irving and Piers Wenger for BBC One.
His Dark Materials doesn’t yet have an air date. Get all the latest fantasy news with every issue of SciFiNow.