Has 'His Dark Materials' finally found a director?

Anand Tucker is rumoured to be the man taking charge of the first part of the trilogy, 'The Golden Compass'.

Aug  8 2005

Anand Tucker is in talks to direct the big screen version of 'The Golden Compass', the first of Philip Pullman's hugely successful 'His Dark Materials' trilogy.

Tucker ('Hilary and Jackie', 'Saint-Ex') would replace Chris Weitz, who walked away from the production late last year following concerns over the size, budget and technicality of the project.

A children's fantasy that has sold millions of copies across the world, 'The Golden Compass' revolves around a young, Oxford-dwelling girl called Lyra who embarks on a marvellous adventure.

Together with her dæmon (a manifestation of her soul in animal form) she must solve the mystery of several disappearing children while at the same time preventing an assassination attempt on her uncle.

Tucker, whose adaptation of Steve Martin's 'Shopgirl' is due to hit UK screens later in the year, hasn't signed on the dotted line yet, but if he does, 'The Golden Compass' production should get underway sometime in 2007.