Some good news and bad news for fans of His Dark Materials. The good news is that HBO and the BBC have renewed the fantasy series for season 3. The bad news is that the third season will conclude the series adaptation of Philip Pullman's beloved series of novels. But it does mean that Lyra Belacqua's tale will get a proper conclusion.

News of the renewal comes just as His Dark Materials season 2 is gearing up for its finale on HBO. The finale recently aired in the U.K. Season 3 will consist of eight episodes. Production is set to take place in 2021. Francesca Orsi, executive vice president of HBO Programming, had this to say in a statement.

"Bringing Phillip Pullman's epic, intricate and culturally resonant body of work to television has been a tremendous privilege. We thank our incredible partners at the BBC and the entire Bad Wolf team, led by the indefatigable Jane Tranter, for their exceptional work on the first two seasons. We look forward to completing the trilogy with this final chapter in Lyra's journey."

His Dark Materials follows Lyra, a brave young woman who is exploring a new world. Her quest to find her kidnapped friend leads her to uncover a sinister plan of a secret organization. The cast is led by Dafne Keen as Lyra. Ruth Wilson, Amir Wilson, Ariyon Bakare, Andrew Scott, Will Keen, Ruta Gedmintas, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Terence Stamp, Jade Anouka and Simone Kirby also star. Ben Irving, BBC Drama commissioning editor, had this to say.

"It's been a joy to see how 'His Dark Materials' has brought British TV audiences of all ages together on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Fans of Phillip Pullman's incredible books, and newcomers alike, have been enthralled by adventuring with Lyra and Will through multiple worlds. We are thrilled that they will be able to continue their journey in a third series of this beautifully realized drama. Our thanks to our partners at HBO and the dedicated creative team at Bad Wolf for making a landmark series that will continue to be watched and enjoyed on the BBC for years to come."

The series debuted on HBO in November 2019. The first novel was previously adapted into a movie, The Golden Compass, in 2007. Thus far, the show has proved to be more successful. Executive producers include Jane Tranter, Dan McCulloch, Joel Collins, Julie Gardner, Philip Pullman, Jack Thorne, Tom Hooper; Deborah Forte, Toby Emmerich, Carolyn Blackwood and Ben Irving. Tranter had this to say in a statement.

"'His Dark Materials' has been a truly global TV experience and a personal career highlight. The creative team at Bad Wolf in Cardiff made the impossible possible and brought Philip Pullman's worlds into vivid life. To see that hard work and dedication applauded and embraced by fans around the world has made all the hard work worthwhile. None of this would have been possible without the wonderful commitment and conviction of the BBC and HBO. I am excited, thrilled and honored to be making the third part of Philip Pullman's trilogy with their support and encouragement. Diolch"

The novel trilogy includes Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. The show has largely stuck to the source material, so the three-season structure makes quite a bit of sense. This news was previously reported by Variety.