It's about the rejection of this and abuses of power by certain groups, which is most directly referenced by the Magisterium. His Dark Materials is defined, at least in part, by its attitude towards religion. Instead, it was one of story, adaptation choices, and shying away from the book’s biggest (and most important) themes. It wasn’t a case of CGI dragging it down either. If there’s a saving grace to the movie, it’s those performances, with Kidman and Richards, in particular, nailing their characters. The problem certainly wasn’t with the cast.
They were matched by fans, especially as the movie had an estimated budget of $180 million, necessary to do those armored bears justice, and an incredible cast, led by Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and Dakota Blue Richards.
With its brilliant source material, a story that has appeal for adults and children alike, and coming out when the Harry Potter series was in full swing, it's easy to see why New Line Cinema had high hopes.
The Golden Compass seemed to have all the ingredients necessary to be a smash hit at the box office. Luckily, avoiding those same mistakes should be a lot easier now. Twelve years on, it's time to try again, this time on television, but HBO would do well to remember just how it went wrong for the movie. That was the plan in 2007 when The Golden Compass was first released, but the movie failed both critically and commercially. With armored polar bears, witches, and a magical adventure at its heart, alongside some searing religious commentary, His Dark Materials should be well-equipped for a big adaptation. The story follows Lyra and her daemon, Pantalaimon, as she searches for her missing friend and gets swept up in a much wider mystery surrounding something known as Dust. Here, humans are accompanied by daemons: animals that are a physical manifestation of a person's soul. The series, a co-production between HBO and BBC, will air its eight-episode first season later this year, with expectations high and the show already renewed for season 2 as well.īased on Philip Pullman's epic trilogy - made up of Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass - His Dark Materials will take viewers into a parallel version of our own world. HBO's take on His Dark Materials looks great so far, but the TV show needs to make sure it avoids making the same mistakes that plagued the movie version, The Golden Compass.