At long last it seems as if Philip Pullman's beloved fantasy trilogy may receive the adaptation it deserves. BBC One is developing His Dark Materials as a co-production with New Line Cinema and Bad Wolf for an eight-part TV series, the latter company responsible for the Beeb's other massive hit: Doctor Who.
Pullman himself is on board to executive produce, as perhaps a fail safe to ensure this time the adaptation hits all the right marks. The previous attempt at envisaging his tale of parallel worlds entitled Golden Compass hit the big screen in 2007 and received mixed critical reception. "It’s been a constant source of pleasure to me to see this story adapted to different forms and presented in different media," Pullman explained. "It’s been a radio play, a stage play, a film, an audiobook, a graphic novel - and now comes this version for television."
For those unfamiliar with the tale, His Dark Materials is a three-book arc based around the adventures of Lyla Belacqua and Will Parry, two youngsters who explore parallel universes. Their journey will this time be shot in Wales, with no specific release date confirmed as yet.
