James McAvoy like “a hot knife through butter” in His Dark Materials season 3
Exclusive: The team behind the hit Philip Pullman fantasy adaptation tease the grand return of Lord Asriel after his scenes were cut from season 2.
He’s back!
After a season’s absence, His Dark Materials’ final run of episodes will see the grand return of James McAvoy’s Lord Asriel, with the acclaimed Scottish star set to play a major role in the BBC drama’s endgame.
And now the team behind the hit Philip Pullman adaptation have teased what we can expect from McAvoy’s role, noting that his comeback was a “boost” for the third and final season after coronavirus complications cut his planned season 2 storyline.
“It was amazing to get James back,” executive producer Jane Tranter told RadioTimes.com at the Radio Times Covers Party.
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“As you know, on season 2, we had an episode with James McAvoy that was abandoned because of the pandemic. We were literally a few hours into filming it and it got cancelled, so to have him back for season 3...
“James McAvoy is like a hot knife through butter,” she added. “And to have Lord Asriel and James McAvoy back was a real boost for the third season.”
In season 1, we saw Asriel attempt to crack the science of travelling between worlds, eventually sacrificing a child to open a doorway and continue his exploration. A planned season 2 episode would have shown what he did next – instead, COVID shutdowns relegated McAvoy to a short cameo filmed on green screen at the close of the season.
Now, he’s back to take on the religious tyrants of multiple worlds in a dangerous mission for freedom. And while the His Dark Materials team wouldn’t be drawn on what else we could expect from McAvoy’s much-heralded comeback, it’s clear that his return was a big moment for cast and crew.
“Well, Lord Asriel and Will don't actually cross paths in the show,” co-star Amir Wilson, who plays Will Parry in the series alongside Dafne Keen’s Lyra, told us at the Radio Times Covers Party.
“But I met James – he's a nice guy. I met him at unit base. I was kind of taken aback because I'd seen a lot of his work. I'm a big fan!”
Altogether, the return of McAvoy is sure to be a big part of the appeal for His Dark Materials’ conclusion when it comes to the BBC and HBO this autumn. Good things come to those who wait.
Read more: His Dark Materials star promises "love, loss, death" in "darker" season 3
His Dark Materials comes to BBC One and HBO this autumn, and you can catch up on seasons 1 and 2 on BBC iPlayer. For more, check out our dedicated Fantasy page or our full TV Guide.
See more photos from the Radio Times Covers Party 2022 in the new issue of Radio Times magazine, on sale now. Subscribe now to get each issue delivered to your door, and for more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
