Dakota Blue Richards has been cast in the lead role of Lyra Belacqua. Richards, 12 years old, landed the role after filmmakers conducted an extensive casting search. More than 10,000 young girls attended open calls in Oxford, Cambridge, Exeter, and Kendal, before Richards was chosen from the Cambridge call for a further audition and subsequent screen test.
Philip Pullman commented, “I'm delighted with the casting of Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra. As soon as I saw Dakota's screen test, I realized that the search was over. Dakota has just the combination of qualities that make up the complicated character of this girl, and I very much look forward to seeing the film take shape, with Dakota's Lyra at the heart of it.”
New Line have given the go ahead to production on [i]The Golden Compass[/i] film and filming will begin September 4th, for a scheduled November 16th, 2007 release date.
New Line Cinema Greenlights The Golden Compass for September 4 Start Date
12-year-old British schoolgirl to play Lyra in adaptation
of the first of Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy.
Film set for November 16, 2007 release date
LONDON (June 28, 2006) – New Line Cinema has officially greenlit production on The Golden Compass, the highly anticipated adaptation of the first of author Philip Pullman’s bestselling His Dark Materials trilogy, it was announced today by New Line’s Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne. Production on the $150 million-budgeted film is scheduled to begin September 4 in the UK, with Oscar-nominated writer/director Chris Weitz (About a Boy, Antz) at the helm.
“The Golden Compass is the most ambitious film that New Line has undertaken since The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and we have assembled a remarkable creative team, headed by Chris Weitz, to bring it to fruition,†comment New Line’s Shaye and Lynne.
Newcomer Dakota Blue Richards has been cast in the lead role of Lyra Belacqua. Richards landed the role after filmmakers conducted an extensive casting search throughout England, during which they saw more than 10,000 young girls. Open calls were held in Oxford, Cambridge, Exeter, and Kendal, before Richards was chosen from the Cambridge call for an audition and subsequent screen test.
“Dakota made what should have been an extremely difficult decision quite easy,†says writer/director Weitz. “We wanted a completely new face for Lyra, but I was surprised that any young girl, especially one without training, could light up the screen as Dakota does.â€Â
Pullman adds, “I’m delighted with the casting of Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra. As soon as I saw Dakota’s screen test, I realized that the search was over. Dakota has just the combination of qualities that make up the complicated character of this girl, and I very much look forward to seeing the film take shape, with Dakota’s Lyra at the heart of it.â€Â
Helping to bring The Golden Compass to the big screen will be an all-star production team that includes Oscar-winning production designer Dennis Gassner (Road To Perdition, Big Fish), Oscar-nominated costume designer Ruth Myers (L.A. Confidential, Emma), and Oscar-nominated visual effects supervisor Mike Fink (X-Men, X2, Road To Perdition).
The Golden Compass is being produced by Deborah Forte of Scholastic Entertainment and Weitz’s Depth of Field production company. Paul Weitz (an Oscar nominee for About a Boy) and Andrew Miano will serve as executive producers on the film. Bill Carraro will also serve as a producer on the film.
Based on the bestselling and award-winning Pullman novels, the His Dark Materials trilogy is comprised of The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. It revolves around a young girl who travels to the far north to save her best friend. Along the way, she encounters shape-shifting creatures, witches, and a variety of otherworldly characters in parallel universes.
ML 619, u from SoCal?
HI! :laughing:
i have 4 days off from school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i'm going to acadia national park with my friend!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SoCal
What is this SoCal you speak of?
most likely an abbreviation for a place.
Um…SoCal… South…California?
Oh well, I really don't know.
Proably hey KittyKat long time no speak.
By the way where are you guys from 🙂
We're all gonna see what she looks like when the film comes out anyway.
Ingy-land. 🙂
Wow. Just read through the previous pages and what callow little fakers are around these days -shakes head- At least there are nice ones between us, right?!
I wish they'd give us a photo. It's getting ridiculous. We aren't going to hunt her down and kill her. It's stupid for New Line to do this, because if we aren't happy with what she looks like then they're in for it. if they gave us a photo right at the beginning we could warm to her. Saying which, i hope she's going to be great xD
Oh, and myself i'm from good old England. Charming.
I agree with everything Hazle just said.Oh and by the way I fugiured out how bill the kid spends his days
Yeah, SoCal is Southern California.
So, MaD Larkin? R U from anywhere near there?
I AGREE WITH HAZEL TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! lucky! i want to live in england! :crying:
Thanks for all agreeing with me. I agree with myself too xD Aaanyway, moving on.
Rin- England isn't that great, i admit. Most foreigners think that England only consists of London. Where are you from, if you don't mind me asking?
England is fabby fabby fab-fab. I wish I was more English. I'm only 1/4, you see 🙁
GOD Dakota is peeing me off
By not posting a freekin photo she's gonna get nore haters than anyone deserves. Even if she turns out to be an arrogant little—- Or if she turns out to be great. She needs to get a photo before the hopes get too big.
so, yea, i give up on the whole picture thing. they'll probably just make us wait 'till the movie. IT IS STILL DRIVING ME CRAZY THOUGH!!!!!!!
anyways, so hazel, rin and i are from the us. it is ok, but i hate the government at the moment. i too would love to live in england.
oh, n. guess what?? my mom said that she might take me to england for my 16th b-day. gtg!!
yup, i'm from the us. and i to HATE the government at the moment.
ORANGE/C, TAKE ME WITH YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! even if it's not for a few years!!!!! but take me with you or i will NEVER EVER EVER speak 2 u again!!!!!!!!! ha ha ha!!!
:laughing: start saven' your money rin!! :laughing: :laughing: or, maybe i'll just get a really big bag, and put you as luggage. :laughing: :laughing:
hello! I am back, my internet broke for a bit! My website (you can get on to the London website from it) is http://www.sammysitelol.piczo.com love you all! xoxox 🙂 🙂
I live in England-its not real great an its freezin- pack trousers and sweaters
i am saving my money! 4 france!
but the luggage idea is good…….. :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
I am from Ireland! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: Some call it the dump of Europe!lol :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
I'm from north england! YAY ENGLAND!!! only jokeing :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: love you all xoxox
:sad:unfortanitly, i'm from the us. i'd die to live anywhere in europe!
so, n, well, i'll have a good time in england WITHOUT you!!!!!!!!!!!! (hee,hee) :laughing:
so, has anyone found a pic yet?? (for the 100,000th time! why can't they just GIVE us one?????????????????????????????????????????
???) :angry: :angry:
yeah, me to. i'd LOVE to live in england!
well, c. i'll have a good time in FRANCE and SPAIN WITHOUT YOU!!!!!!!!!! HA HA HA :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
I KNOW!!!!!!!!!! WHY WON'T THEY GIVE US A PIC!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????????????
i hope we get 1 b4 the movie comes out. i kinda dought it, though.
I GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!!!! i don't care about the picture anymore. actually yeah i do. oh well. they are meanies. :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:wow!!!! i never knew these moved!!!!!!!!!!!! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: so, n, england is cooler than france and spain put together!! so ha!!
Yep, England is so AWESOME!!!! Where else can Americans go and marvel over our accents, whilst being able to understand (almost) every word we say!? :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
:laughing: yes England rocks! Oxford is so cool! I just love it there! xoxox
now you're making me feel sad :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying: :crying:
awwwwwww I'm sorry :crying: I didn't mean to! xXxXxXx
Sup 🙂
Yey! I am from North England- it rocks there! It's nice and cool (cool as in COLD!) and it's just so awesome… Bet it's awesome in America, too! The countrysided has got to e the best part- I'm not too keen on cities, but they're good for shopping! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Ireland is always cold.ALWAYS COLD even in the summer it can get too minus 2 degrees.
Ha ha I am from Jamaica! For my beakfast I have some ba-acan I am tinking you dont like ba-acan
Is that what you be tinkin?
I is think what the hell is ba-cana? :laughing:
I am tinking people like you spell it like bacon, my girlfriend has some lovly coconuts from the palm tree's in her back garden man! I be eatin them right now man!!
Oh thats what you mean there alright
i live up in maine, and it gets pretty cold, but defenitly not -2 in the summer!! jamica sounds nice. and so does england. and the us isn't that great. it is pretty boaring, and the government here is stupid. oh well. i'll get out of here someday. :wassat: 🙂
It's not always minus 2 but there was one year where we couldn't go to school because the ground froze
that doesn't sound pleasent. :wassat:
wait, you go to school in the summer??
sammy, so i just went to your web site, but, what page are the pics of enland on??
When you are on it there is a big list and at the top of it there is a sign saying 'MA M8S!!' and on that list there is 'site4dabridgetothestarsppl' click on it then click on 'pictures of London' and there is lots on there xXxXx 🙂
Nope but it was in late autumn :wassat:
Me is tinkin you dont like where you are livin
i live in maine 2. me and "orange". we're the cool people who live in maine. jk :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
😮 Well Australia Is the best! LOL, I cant wait for the movie to come out 🙂
Sammy, did you write post three by 1.4? *explodes with laughter* AHAHAHAHAHAHA! :laughing: Add me 2 ur syt, plz?
What do you mean by 'add you'? xXxXx