“Love is never small to those who discover it for the first time.” – Xaphania
It’s finally time to say goodbye to the beloved Lyra Belacqua, who the fans have watched for the last three seasons. As the new season premiered all the episodes a few days ago, many viewers were unsure and wanted to know if the show would be renewed or concluded in the future. This is a question that needs to be answered, especially for die-hard fans who have spent so much of their own time watching the episodes over the years. So, if you’re wondering the same thing, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled a quick summary of everything you need to know about the current status of the series.
Here’s everything we know about His Dark Materials Season 4.
His Dark Materials Season 4: Is it renewed or canceled?
As of December 28, 2022, we can officially confirm to the fans that the show will not have a fourth season as the entire plotline of the show has been completed with the three seasons, which have received generally positive reviews from critics and loyal viewers across the world. In addition to this, if you recall, the third season of the show has been confirmed to be the final season of the show, which concluded its premiere on HBO on Sunday, December 25, 2022, in the US.
“I wanted to split [The Amber Spyglass] in two, but we’re doing it in one,” she explained to Deadline back in 2020. “You can’t always have what you want. The Amber Spyglass is quite right adapted into eight episodes and I will fully and humbly admit I was completely wrong.” According to the Radio Times, The original plan for His Dark Materials was to have nine seasons, quoting, “But unfortunately, that’s probably the wrong thing for an audience,” Tranter explained during a panel at Edinburgh International TV Festival. “Some would have liked it, but it’s expensive and it’s a season-a-book and that’s that and now it’s finishing.”
So, this makes it clear that the show will not return for good reason. As, the third and final book in the His Dark Materials trilogy, The Amber Spyglass, wraps up Lyra and Will’s journey together and puts an end to Lord Asriel’s war against the Authority, it has concluded the story in a perfect way. So, we suggest that the viewers should binge-watch the entire franchise to recall and reminisce about all the events that make the show worth watching!
His Dark Materials: The Complete Story
His Dark Materials is a fantasy drama television series based on the trilogy of novels of the same name by Philip Pullman. It is produced by Bad Wolf and New Line Productions, for BBC One and HBO, with the latter handling international distribution. The show follows the orphan Lyra, played by Dafne Keen, as she searches for a missing friend and discovers a kidnapping plot related to an invisible cosmic substance called Dust. The entire plot of the respective seasons of the show is listed as follows:
Season 1: From Philip Pullman’s epic “His Dark Materials,” fantasy trilogy (which consists of the books “The Golden Compass,” “The Subtle Knife,” and “The Amber Spyglass”) comes Season 1 of this compelling HBO series that follows young orphan Lyra (Dafne Keen) on an incredible adventure into a parallel world where a human’s soul exists outside one’s body – in the form of a talking animal.
Series one received positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first series has an approval rating of 77% based on reviews from 114 critics, with an average rating of 6.99/10. The website’s critical consensus reads: “The daemon is in the details and while His Dark Materials‘ visual splendor and exceptional performances deftly capture the essence of Philip Pullman’s seminal novels, it could use a little more magic.” On Metacritic, the series has a score of 69 out of 100 based on reviews from 22 critics, indicating “generally favorable reviews.”
Season 2: In Season 2 of the hit HBO series, Lyra follows Lord Asriel into the mysterious abandoned city of Cittagazze where she meets Will, a boy from our world who is also running from a troubled past. Together, they learn that their fates are tied to reuniting Will with his father. Meanwhile, Mrs. Coulter (Ruth Wilson) continues her effort to bring Lyra home by any means necessary.
Series two received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the second series has an approval rating of 85% based on reviews from 33 critics, with an average rating of 6.87/10. The website’s critical consensus reads: “His Dark Materials‘ chilly emotional core and imposing complexity is unlikely to win over the unconverted, but its sophomore season rewards the faithful with impeccable production values and cerebral thrills.” On Metacritic, series 2 has a score of 71 out of 100 based on reviews from 4 critics, indicating “generally favorable reviews.”
Season 3: Based on “The Amber Spyglass,” the third novel in Philip Pullman’s award-winning trilogy, the final chapter of this epic fantasy series finds Lyra (Dafne Keen) and Will (Amir Wilson) on a journey to a dark place from which no one has ever returned. As Lyra’s father’s great war against the Authority edges closer, they will learn that saving the world comes at a terrible price.
Series three received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the final series has an approval rating of 86% based on reviews from 14 critics, with an average rating of 7.30/10. The website’s critical consensus reads: “In perhaps its most stirring season, the final installment of His Dark Materials rewards its viewers with a heart-wrenching conclusion befitting this faithful adaptation.” On Metacritic the series has a score of 76 out of 100 based on reviews from 11 critics, indicating “generally favorable reviews.”
His Dark Materials Cast and Crew
The main cast members of the series are as follows Dafne Keen as Lyra Belacqua, Amir Wilson as Will Parry, Ruth Wilson as Marisa Coulter, Anne-Marie Duff as Maggie “Ma” Costa, Clarke Peters as The Master of Jordan College, James Cosmo as Farder Coram van Texel, Ariyon Bakare as Lord Carlo Boreal, Will Keen as Father Hugh MacPhail, Lucian Msamati as Lord John Faa, Gary Lewis as Thorold, Lewin Lloyd as Roger Parslow, Daniel Frogson as Tony Costa, Lin-Manuel Miranda as Lee Scoresby, Ruta Gedmintas as Serafina Pekkala, Nina Sosanya as Elaine Parry,
Along with Jade Anouka as Ruta Skadi, Sean Gilder as Father Graves, Simone Kirby as Dr. Mary Malone, Andrew Scott as Colonel John Parry, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje as Ogunwe, Jonathan Aris as Commander Roke, Chipo Chung as Xaphania, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Balthamos, Jamie Ward as Father Gomez, James McAvoy as Lord Asriel Belacqua, Sian Clifford as Agent Salmakia, and Alex Hassell as Metatron.
The recurring cast members across the seasons are as follows Simon Manyonda as Benjamin de Ruyter, Geoff Bell as Jack Verhoeven, Tyler Howitt as Billy Costa, Mat Fraser as Raymond van Gerrit, Ian Peck as Cardinal Sturrock, David Langham as Father Garret, Robert Emms as Thomas, Morfydd Clark as Sister Clara, Frank Bourke as Fra Pavel Rasek, Jamie Wilkes as Inspector Walters, Ray Fearon as Mr. Hanway, Remmie Milner as Lena Feldt, Bella Ramsey as Angelica, Ella Schrey-Yeats as Paola, Sasha Frost as Reina Miti, Lewis MacDougall as Tullio, Lauren Grace as Joseph, Sorcha Groundsell as Maddy, and Wade Briggs as Alarbus.
His Dark Materials is executive produced by Tranter, Dan McCulloch, Joel Collins, and Julie Gardner for Bad Wolf; Pullman, Jack Thorne, Tom Hooper; Deborah Forte, Toby Emmerich, and Carolyn Blackwood for New Line Cinema; and Ben Irving for the BBC. It is produced by Bad Wolf and New Line Productions, for BBC One and HBO, with the latter handling international distribution. The production is taking place at Wolf Studios Wales stages and on location throughout Wales and England.
His Dark Materials: Where to stream the entire show?
The series will air on HBO in the United States and will be available to stream in 4K resolution on HBO Max as it is an exclusive series developed for the digital streaming platform. Moreover, the membership of the platform costs $10 per month (or $100 per year) for the ad-supported plan and $15 per month (or $150 per year) for the ad-free option. The viewers can choose the membership plan according to their preference and stream the vast catalog that HBO Max has to offer its users with tv-series and movies ranging across different genres.
Goodbyes are hard. Thank you for joining us on our journey between worlds. #HisDarkMaterials pic.twitter.com/6AizWvMt5m
— His Dark Materials (@daemonsanddust) December 27, 2022
Catch up on the episodes and let us know what you find out about the final season.