BBC One has commissioned
an eight-part series based on author Philip Pullman's famous book trilogy, His
Dark Materials, which New Line and Bad Wolf will produce in Wales.
The first book in Pullman's
trilogy, titled Northern Lights, followed an orphan named Lyra, who is on quest
to find a kidnapped friend in a world of magic, religion, and science. But her
search gets increasingly complicated as she uncovers a plot to steal children,
and gets close to discovering the secret behind a mysterious substance known as
Dust. In the second book, titled The Subtle Knife, Will, who is able to possess
a knife and cut doorways between worlds, joins Lyra and the two are thrown into
an war of epic proportions, which comes to a conclusion in the third and final
book, The Amber Spyglass.
Here is what the
author said of this latest attempt at adapting his books:
"It’s been a
constant source of pleasure to me to see this story adapted to different forms
and presented in different media. It’s been a radio play, a stage play, a film,
an audiobook, a graphic novel — and now comes this version for television.
In recent years we’ve
seen how long stories on television, whether adaptations (‘Game of Thrones’) or
original (‘The Sopranos,’ ‘The Wire’), can reach depths of characterization and
heights of suspense by taking the time for events to make their proper impact and
for consequences to unravel. And the sheer talent now working in the world of
long-form television is formidable.
For all those reasons
I’m delighted at the prospect of a television version of ‘His Dark Materials.’
I’m especially pleased at the involvement of Jane Tranter, whose experience,
imagination, and drive are second to none. As for the BBC, it has no stronger
supporter than me. I couldn’t be more
pleased with this news."
As Pullman said, the
property has been adapted several times in the past, and perhaps the most widely
known one was in 2007 when Chris Weitz wrote and directed The Golden Compass, and
assembled a terrific cast including Dakota Blue Richards, Nicole Kidman, Daniel
Craig, Freddie Highmore, Ian McKellen, Eva Green, Jim Carter, Sam Elliott, Ian
McShane, Christopher Lee, Kristin Scott Thomas, Kathy Bates, and Derek Jacobi.
The film won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.
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