10 Philip Pullman books to adapt next

Phillip Pullmans Its dark materials The trilogy is known as one of the most popular children’s fantasy series and achieved popularity with a film adaptation of its first part (The Golden Compass) albeit with mixed reviews. However, the HBO TV adaptation managed to garner better recognition from Pullman loyalists. With Season 3 of Its dark materials As December nears the end, some fans are hoping HBO will take a look at Pullman’s other classics and adapt them as well. His trilogy sequels and spin-offs would definitely lend themselves to good sequel adaptations, while even his famous multi-genre single stories can be translated to the big screen as either movies or shows.

10/10 The Book of Dust Trilogy (2017-)

More than a decade after its end Its dark materials with 2000s The amber binocularsPhilip Pullman began expanding Lyra Belacqua’s adventures in an all-new trilogy that began with La Belle Sauvege in 2017.

While Pullman is still working on the third book, La Belle Sauvege and The Secret Commonwealth have enough content to easily complement each other Its dark materials show and leaves enough room for a sequel series. The show’s universe would also undergo major development, as Pullman’s books not only add to Lyra’s adventures, but also provide more context behind the mystical nature of the so-called “Dust.” The time warp can add some freshness to fan-favorite characters by filling the void that would be left after Its dark materials Final. Hopefully a TV show adaptation can give the green light when Pullman writes the last part.

9/10 The Good Man Jesus and the Villain Christ (2010)

Pullman’s historical novel reinterprets the New Testament and is set in a world where Jesus and Christ exist as two separate individuals. The former is a morally righteous saint while the other exhibits a more scheming personality. When their paths cross, the Its dark materials The author embarks on an introspective journey to understanding human morality, organized religion, and more.

The good man Jesus and the scoundrel Christ can definitely be a tricky book to adapt given its content, but still make for a compelling miniseries if done right. The titular characters also get enough monologues in the source material to perhaps put up some Emmy-worthy performances. Historical fiction television, given the success of recent shows, seems like Vikings, The Last Kingdom, aka Graceand The crown, So there is a chance that this will also be well received.

8/10 Sally Lockhart Series (1985-1994)

Aside from fantasy trilogies, Philip Pullman has also written a mystery quartet for children based on the exploits of the orphan Sally Lockhart. Lockhart, trained in bookkeeping and gunnery by her late father, embarks on all sorts of historical adventures that will see her crossing paths with mages and kings as she investigates around the world.

The four Sally Lockhart Books would not only make riveting thrillers but also represent the 19th century society in which the series is set in films like Enola Holmes on Netflix. And given the great love the Millie Bobby Brown-led franchise has bred, an adaptation by Sally Lockhart would make a good companion watch.

7/10 The Broken Bridge (1990)

The Broken Bridge is one of those Pullman books that is more based on reality. The story revolves around a young girl named Ginny who discovers that she may have a half brother and that her mother is still alive.

The subsequent travels Ginny takes make up the rest of the premise and make for quite an emotional character arc. The Broken Bridge can easily make for a good coming-of-age adaptation conjuring up tropes of classics in the dysfunctional family and slice of life subgenres.

6/10 The Haunted Storm (1972)

The cursed storm was Philip Pullman’s debut novel, which he only wrote at the age of 25. It might not be his finest work, but it shows enough potential and foreshadows the rise of an author capable of blending multiple genres. evoke a sense of magical realism, The cursed storm takes place in a city wracked by violence and chaos, while a mentally deranged investigator is caught in the middle.

As the protagonist embarks on a path of self-discovery, The cursed storm perfectly evokes the power of the human spirit while asking philosophical questions. In fact, a strong movie or miniseries can make for a good adaptation in the pantheon of dystopian fiction. The lead character’s moral ambiguity would also be reminiscent of Andrew Garfield’s engaging performance as Detective Jeb Pyre in this year’s film Under the banner of heaven.

5/10 The Adventures of John Blake (2008)

Pullman’s first and only contribution to comics, The Adventures of John Blakedoesn’t have many new thrills but summarizes some of the best themes of his work.

The comic book series picks up on the world building Its dark materials and a teenager’s youthful experience from his Sally Lockhart books to construct the myth of a hero who accidentally travels back in time to a 1920’s steamship sailing the seven seas and encountering ghost ships. With some sharp graphics, the comics can set the stage for a binge-worthy animated series with enough emphasis on action and adventure.

4/10 Companion books to his dark materials (2003-2022)

Its dark materials was not only supported by The Dust Book trilogy, but also a variety of prequels and spin-offs, including stories set between the two trilogies. This only goes to show how rich Pullman’s mythos is, as most of these companion books are seen as significant lore and not just unnecessary additions to the franchise.

For example, Lyra’s Oxford tells the aftermath of its titular heroine two years after the events of His Dark Materials during the prequel Once upon a time in the north offers fuller origin arcs behind iconic characters (such as armored bear Iorek Byrinson and aeronaut balloonist Lee Scoresby). And then there’s serpentine which serves as the middle chapter. There will be more focus on many of the characters, rather than just Lyra, an anthology series about Pullman Its dark materials Spin-offs can be a perfect exercise in fan-service. Prime Video’s latest success The Rings of Power and HBO’s house of the dragon have also proven that reinterpretations and new additions to established fantasy franchises help to further define the genre.

3/10 The Butterfly Tattoo (1998)

First Release As The white Mercedes (and then re-released in its current form), The butterfly tattoo was Pullman’s first foray into juvenile fiction, and delved into the story of an innocent teenage couple who become embroiled in a ruthless cycle of violent revenge, complete with themes of school life, juvenile delinquency and the struggles of adolescence.

With no lack of deep themes, The butterfly tattoo ia perfect merging of the naivety of youth with the loss of innocence. For fans of more mature YA stories, an adaptation of The butterfly tattoo definitely needed for the modern audience of the genre. Although it was adapted into a low-budget drama in 2008, a revised film adaptation of the 186-page novel is badly needed.

2/10 Count Karlstein (1982)

Before becoming a household name in Britain, Philip Pullman was an English teacher who once wrote a play for his pupil, the story of which was eventually adapted as his first children’s novel Count Karlstein.

a fantasy classic, Count Karlstein deals with its title antagonist working out a deal with a demon hunter that includes human sacrifice. As the novel progresses, it gathers individual perspectives of the two characters, as well as those about to be sacrificed, resulting in enough parallel stories to make a children’s film that offers a good dose of thoughtfulness alongside the magical elements of the fictional Swiss village of Karlstein. Similar to his depiction of multi-worlds reality in Its dark materialsPullman’s world building is top notch in this case too.

1/10 The Scarecrow and His Servant (2004)

Another Pullman classic for younger readers, The Scarecrow and His Servant deals with a scarecrow who comes to life after being struck by lightning, then befriends a young boy who is an orphan. Together, the titular duo travel through a world where the scarecrow wants to take control of himself.

The humor and adventure are mischievously amusing, similar to Roald Dahl’s children’s literature (who, in turn, is no stranger to numerous film adaptations). With its absurd premise and existentialist themes, The Scarecrow and His Servant can make for a fancy animated film.MORE: The 10 best original series on HBO Max, ranked by IMDb