French community member Cittagazze have a lengthy interview with Philip Pullman which covers a wide range of subjects. On the movie, Pullman reaffirms his admiration for the cast and design; talks a little about his favourite books as a child and an adult; music, and love.

Questions about Pullman’s plans for new His Dark Materials’ books reveal that the author has just finished a short book, due to be out this spring in the UK. Named Once Upon a Time in the North, the book will focus on Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrnison, in the pair’s younger days – says Pullman, “When we see them for the first time with Lyra, Lee is not that old: he’s fifty, sixty, something like that, so they’ve [he and Iorek] known each other for a long time. But I wanted to write a story when they first met as they were young, and I’ve just written it.”

Like Lyra’s Oxford, the book will again features some “extra-bits” – Pullman says he has been working on a “game-board” to come with it. The Book of Dust appears to still be on the cards for a later release, with Pullman pondering including more stories about Will.

Read the interview.