His Dark Materials debuts TWO new trailers
Get our first proper look at the terrifying Spectres and meet Terence Stamp’s new character as we return to the worlds of Philip Pullman
Trailers are like buses – you wait months for one to come along, and then two come along at once. Or, in the case of the eagerly-awaited second season of Philip Pullman adaptation His Dark Materials, one comes along a few weeks ago, followed by two more in quick succession.
And instead of passengers, they’re carrying a whole host of juicy new details from the acclaimed BBC fantasy series..OK, we’ll give up the analogy. But it’s still pretty exciting to get double teaser duty ahead of the UK’s bank holiday weekend, with both the BBC and HBO (who co-produce the series and air it overseas) debuting separate teasers with similar but distinct new details.
First off, both trailers give us our first proper look at the terrifying Spectres, otherworldly beings who haunt the city of Cittàgazze and feast on the souls of adults (but not children, who can’t see them), first creeping up behind Amir Wilson’s Will in one trailer before trying their luck with the villainous Mrs Coulter (Ruth Wilson) in the other (see main image).
In the HBO trailer we also get a sneak peek of Terence Stamp’s character Giacomo Paradisi, the bearer of the all-important Subtle Knife (a weapon that can cut gaps between worlds) who in the books passes the weapon and its responsibilities onto Will. The knife itself also makes a brief appearance, thunking into the ground during a battle.
Elsewhere in the HBO trailer we see Father MacPhail (Will Keen) rousing the Magisterium to war while the witches (primarily newcomer Jade Anouka’s Ruta Skadi) prepare to meet them in battle, while both trailers also give us a better look at Andrew Scott’s long-heralded character Jopari/John Parry and Lin-Manuel Miranda’s returning Lee Scoresby, who appears to be in a spot of both in scenes that may be familiar to fans of Pullman’s books. No spoilers…
There’s also plenty of new shots of lead character Lyra (Dafne Keen) as she deals with the traumas of the first series, discovers both Will and the new world they’ve stumbled into and searches for more hidden truths with her alethiometer.
All in all it’s an exciting double helping of new His Dark Materials teases sure to get fans ready for the series’ return in November, even if James McAvoy won’t be putting in an appearance this time. Prepare for new worlds…
His Dark Materials returns to BBC One in November. Want something to watch sooner? Check out our TV Guide
Authors
Huw Fullerton is a Commissioning Editor for Radio Times magazine, covering Entertainment, Comedy and Specialist Drama.
