Lyra Cast and Movie to Begin Production
Posted on by Ian

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.

Read more.

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.”

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.”

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.

About Ian

A keen fan of His Dark Materials and Philip Pullman. Assistant to Paul Temple and Sir Graham Forbes.
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791 Responses to Lyra Cast and Movie to Begin Production

  1. Fake Mishca says:

    :angry: You're right- I'll never come again! And by the way- you're not amazing- you suck! I hate you all! Even you Orange! Goodbye forever!

  2. KittyKat: says:

    *gasps* A suicide note!!!!!!!!!!!
    :laughing: So are you mates with Sammy or Sammy having a laugh lol, I'm friends with Sammy too if you read this you're the best! Relax nobody is going to make a piczo site about you but you, I think I saw you on pics in one of SW's sites but I can't remember :laughing: Anyway hi 🙂

  3. orange says:

    :wassat: ok then…

  4. Mischa says:

    🙂 I am a friend of Sammy! Not Sammy having a laugh (lol)! Nice to see you guys write on here… 🙂

  5. Mad Larkin says:

    Who is this Mischa

  6. Mad Larkin says:

    In some ways I'm reluctant to see the movie cause I have an image in my head and I dont want to ruin it

  7. Mad Larkin says:

    WHO IS THIS MISCHA! :angry:

  8. KittyKat: says:

    This is the real Mischa, I'm pretty sure.

  9. Mad Larkin the second and First says:

    But who IS Mischa

  10. KittyKat: says:

    *sigh* Mischa is a girl who got through to the final stages of the Lyra auditions.

  11. Mad Larkin the second and First says:

    Thank you

  12. KittyKat: says:

    You're very welcome 🙂
    Hi Sammy!!!*waves like a loony*

  13. Mad Larkin says:

    Wo wo wo I was reading the posts that you left Mischa and if your outthere and you relly have a pc wiz friend called Sammy get him to trace fake Mischas posts then you can find her adress and the you can take it from there

  14. Mad Larkin says:

    Is it just me or has anyone else noticed the complete lack of pictures of this Dakota

  15. Mad Larkin says:

    Is it just me or does this place desert after 1 o'clock :wassat:

  16. Mad Larkin says:

    Where is everybody?!

  17. KittyKat: says:

    Right here. I was listening to a cd. :smile:Try going to http://www.bridgetothestars.net/forum if this place is too quiet.

  18. Mad Larkin says:

    Thats the problem they won't let me in 🙁

  19. Blondy says:

    :laughing: hi kittyKat guess who! how are you? xxx

  20. Sammy says:

    i cnt be on with blondy anymore lol, y don't we just forget about the fake mischa and that. KittyKat i am confused do i hate Dakota or not? i mean its not her fault she got the part but still….

  21. ?????? says:

    well she is ugly! have you seen her face? it's gross trust me

  22. Mad Larkin says:

    Who care the real uestion is.Is she a good actor

  23. Mad Larkin says:

    Lets leaeve the Dakota bashing till after the movie

  24. Sammy says:

    ok! 😉 are you looking foward to the movie coming out? because i feel that i want to see dakota but it will make me upset to watch it :crying:

  25. Mad Larkin says:

    I think it will make me upset :crying: as well but not in the same way

  26. KittyKat: says:

    !
    I found out there ARE pictures, and people not involved in the movie HAVE seen them. The most likely release date is Monday, the first day of filming.
    Hey Sammy! don't forget someone else was blondy too! :tongue: 🙂

  27. Mad Larkin the second and First says:

    OMG who has seen these pictures and where.I need to know. :wassat:

  28. Mad Larkin says:

    Hey guys I cant spend much more time here so if you picked now to answer any of my posts Its not a great time I have about 5 mins left then I have to go but I will see all of you next week.

  29. Sammy says:

    i have an audition!!(not 2 lyrea but 4 coronation street) YEY!!!! 🙂

  30. Sammy says:

    so where do all of you come from? 🙂

  31. Sammy says:

    (to kittykat) how are you? xxx

  32. KittyKat: says:

    I have to go to BED. :angry: School Tuesday(right? :wassat:)evil, no picture evil evil. How are you?
    Bye BTW(not Sammy lol!)
    OH! BTW, I have yr Kelly Clarkson CD!

  33. Sammy says:

    ye i no! :crying: hello( thats all i can think of sayin)

  34. orange says:

    ok, it is monday now… SO WHERE'S THE PICTURE??!! I need it now!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  35. smiley says:

    me to! i really thought there might be one!!!!!!!!!!!!! if one doesn't come out until the movie (or trailer) comes out, i will be VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY VERY MMMMMMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDDDD :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:

  36. orange says:

    I agree! There is still no picture, and we've been waiting for months!!!!!!!
    I NEED A PICTURE NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:

  37. Sammy says:

    i met her in a workshop in london, she has quite long blonde hair, bluey greeny eyes, quite a flat face and she is a little bit short

  38. clock says:

    THEY'RE STARTING FILMING TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
    c-lml

  39. orange says:

    sammy, thank you for the description!
    do you think she looks the part? 🙂

  40. KittyKat: says:

    Hi Sammy I just spoke to Annie R you remember the blonde one from my primary school? anyway hi 🙂

  41. Sammy says:

    hi orange, i think dakote kinda looks like the part but they could have found better :wassat:

  42. Sammy says:

    sorry the key board is playing up

  43. KittyKat: says:

    BTW, Sammy? *waves hand in front of face*
    I have your Kelly Clarkson album. I need to get it back to you somehow. On the other hand… :tongue: #lalala, behind these hazel eyes,lala#

  44. Sammy says:

    :laughing: why don't you give it to me at school?

  45. Runner says:

    Have they released pictures?

  46. Mischa says:

    I'd prefer it if we just left the fake me alone. I'm trying to forget about it. Anyway, she/he could have done a lot worse.

  47. orange says:

    i really wish they'd end my suffering, and just give me a picture!!!
    i don't think i can wait much longer!

  48. Sammy says:

    i suppose i am lucky that i have met her….. anyway where are you guys from? :tongue:

  49. Mischa says:

    Hey Sammy r u online right now?

  50. Sammy says:

    ye 🙂