One of the greatest books of all time is coming to the small screen. This could be special.
While every book lover will argue that film adaptations of a beloved novel will always be inferior when compared to the original material, The Golden Compass was one of the worst mistakes in cinematic history.
Granted, Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig were solid picks and they were good in their roles but the film was a total mess. Hell, they decided to leave out all references and criticism of organised religion aka the central point of the beloved books.
Well, as previously reported, a TV adaptation of Phillip Pullman’s beloved tale is coming to the TV and after seeing the whole cast list, we’re absolutely pumped.
Aside from having an Academy Award-winning director at the helm (Tom Hooper of The King’s Speech), James McAvoy will be playing Lord Asriel with Luther’s Ruth Wilson cast as the mysterious and mesmeric Mrs Coulter.
Dafne Keen (Logan) takes on the lead role of Lyra, the young protagonist of the story who lives in Jordan College, Oxford. Elsewhere, we’ve got The Master (Clare Peters) and Librarian Scholar Charles (Ian Gelder).
As for the plot, when the glamorous and mesmeric Mrs Coulter enters Lyra’s life, she embarks upon a dangerous journey of discovery from Oxford to London. Here she meets Father MacPhail (Will Keen), Lord Boreal (Ariyon Bakare) and journalist Adele Starminster (Georgina Campbell) at a glittering society party where she first hears about the sinister General Oblation Board.
Lyra is subsequently thrown into the nomadic world of the boat dwelling Gyptians who take her North in her quest.
Once in the North she meets charismatic aeronaut and adventurer Lee Scoresby (Lin-Manuel Miranda) who joins them on their epic journey and who becomes one of Lyra’s closest allies.
Speaking about this adaptation, Philip Pullman says: “I’m delighted that the production is under way, and I’m looking forward immensely to seeing how it looks. Bad Wolf has assembled a wonderful cast and I’m sure every HDM reader is as keen as I am to see it all coming together.”
Jack Thorne (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, This is England ’88) is a BAFTA, Tony and Olivier Award-winning screenwriter and he’s behind this one.
Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech, Les Miserables) will direct the first two episodes with Dawn Shadforth (Danny Boyle’s Trust) directing episode three and Otto Bathurst (Robin Hood [2018], Peaky Blinders) directing episodes four and five. The other directors are set to be announced.
If this TV adaptation can capture even half of what makes the books so incredible, we’re in for a real treat.
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