Recently, HBO Max released the third and final installment of His Dark Materials, thus concluding the epic journey of Lyra Silvertongue and Will Parry. The finale sees Lyra and Will succeed in defeating the Authority and restoring Dust, and therefore balance, to the universe. While their love for each other saved the multiverse, it seems the couple was never meant to last as the worlds must be returned to their natural order, with Lyra and Will returning to their respective homes. Before Lyra and Will are separated, the two vow to return to the same spot once a year to be together and remember each other. And as time goes on, they honor their promise. The show ends there but not without teasing another story involving Lyra and Pan.

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This closing statement makes us wonder if will there be more of His Dark Materials or possibly a spinoff series that follows another adventure of Lyra and Pan’s. As it stands currently, the show has not been renewed for a fourth season and each of the three seasons follow a book from the Philip Pullman trilogy of the same name. This suggests that this is the end of His Dark Materials. Although it was originally supposed to continue on for several more seasons, this plan has since been scrapped and the show was wrapped up with season three. However, Pullman has written additional books about Lyra and Pan, which means there is certainly still a possibility for a spinoff series.

A New Adventure for Lyra and Pan

     HBO / BBC

You’re not alone if you’re wondering what new adventure might be in store for Lyra and Pan. If we are to assume that a spinoff series might follow the sequel books written by Pullman, we could potentially see both a prequel and a sequel to His Dark Materials. The book La Belle Sauvage is set 12 years before the events of the original trilogy when Lyra was an infant. It tells the story of a young boy named Malcolm who protects Lyra and ensures that she reaches the safety of Jordan College. However, we think it is more likely that there could be a sequel spinoff based on the way season three ended and teased another adventure for Lyra and Pan.

This brings us to the next book a new show adaptation could be based on: Lyra’s Oxford. A couple of years after the war Lyra saves a witch’s daemon and promises to help him, but it turns out that it is a trap set for Lyra. The witch seeks revenge upon Lyra for her son’s death in the war. Another book a spinoff could follow is The Secret Commonwealth. Lyra is now a 20-year-old undergrad student studying academics that Pan disapproves of. The two end up in a fight that causes them to be separated and Lyra embarks on yet another journey that revolves around Dust.

Pullman plans to write a third book to complete The Book of Dust trilogy (of which La Belle Sauvage and The Secret Commonwealth are the first two) in 2023. His Dark Materials producer Jane Tranter has expressed interest in making a show based on this series which means we could see an adaptation as early as 2025. Actress Dafne Keen is also eager to return as Lyra if this project becomes a reality.

Other His Dark Materials Spinoffs

     BBC/HBO

Philip Pullman has also written a novella called Once Upon a Time in the North that focuses on another character in Lyra’s world who played a significant role in His Dark Materials. This book tells the story of fan-favorite characters Lee Scorsby and Iorek Byrinson. Young Lee finds himself in a bit of trouble as he often does, and along the way, he ends up meeting and befriending Iorek. Given the popularity of the characters, we could see a spinoff around these two, or perhaps Tranter can work it into the future Book of Dust series.

Although no books have been written about Will Parry, his story could be an interesting avenue to further explore as well, especially given how his life and future have been forever altered by Lyra and their adventures together. Despite returning to his own world where people don’t have daemons (or at least not animal manifestations of them), Will now has a physical daemon that accompanies him. It might be of interest to see how he has adapted to his world and if he has any future adventures in store whether they revolve around Dust or the knife or something else entirely.

So while it is the case that His Dark Materials will not be returning for a fourth season, there are numerous possibilities to explore for future adaptations. We like many other fans certainly hope to see more of Pullman’s fantastic worlds and characters and the season three finale does an excellent job of leaving that door open for speculation.