This year alone, we’ve had umpteen attempts to turn beloved children’s novels into money-spinning franchises. But where the likes of The Dark Is Rising and, whisper it’s name in fear, Eragon failed, The Golden Compass, the first chapter in Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials saga looks to succeed.
Let’s look at the facts. The books themselves are massively popular as well as being bloody well written, the main players are so A-list it hurts, the effects are on the money and the author seems to be happy with the end result. A shoe-in, surely, for a big, fat Christmas hit? No wonder the cast are looking particularly confident on the red carpet outside the Odeon Leicester Square.
“They’ve done a lovely job, a great job,” says Pullman about the film. But surely he must have had some misgivings about Hollywood tinkering with his creation. “Well, it isn’t a baby anymore, it’s nearly a teenager – the books have been out twelve years so it can look after itself. The story has already gone through many manifestations, it has been a stage play, it has been a radio play, this is just the latest incarnation.”
The film, originally known as Northern Lights on our side of the Atlantic, takes place in a parallel world where human souls are manifested as animals, known as daemons, and a young girl named Lyra, played by debutante Dakota Blue Richards, is gifted the mysterious titular device and sets off on an epic journey to rescue her kidnapped pal.
With the likes of Nicole Kidman playing the evil Mrs Coulter and Daniel Craig the enigmatic Lord Asriel, as well as support from the likes of Sam Elliot (as Texan hot-air balloonist Lee Scoresby) and Eva Green (as northern witch Serafina Pekkala), it’s a cast sent the gods.
“I can’t imagine anyone playing those roles better, especially Dakota,” say Pullman, who is currently working on a new novel called The Book Of Dust, which continues events set in Lyra’s world. “It’s the cast you can only dream of really.”
The reason for the impressive collection of talent becomes clear once Sam Elliot stops for a chat: “I was enchanted by the books, I was compelled,” he says. “I find them very interesting material in many different ways. I mean this is a brilliant writer - this isn’t just novel stuff, this is really great literature. I’m very lucky to be a part of this.
“Particularly working with Dakota was just mind-boggling. I’ve never seen anything like this kid. I’ve worked with a lot of young kids before, but never who worked as hard and as long as she did on this film.”
The young actress, who is set to pop up on the big screen again next year in The Secret Of Moonacre, isn’t willing to take all the praise, however, citing Elliot, Craig and, especially, Kidman as positive influences.
“Nicole is nowhere near as horrid as Mrs Coulter, she’s lovely,” says the Sussex-born young ’un. “I think it really helps to have someone like her who knows what she’s doing around on set. You can pick up things and learn and be inspired by her.”
As for the Kidman, the opportunity to play it evil was far too good an opportunity to pass up. “Well, I don’t think she’s bad, I just thinks she’s misguided,” she laughs. “I think she’s fun. I mean she’s not just fun, Phillip Pullman has created an incredible female, if you want to use the word, villain. And the arc of her over the course of three books is just wonderful. It’s rare that there’s such a great female character to bring to the big screen.”
Now that chapter one is up there for all to see, it’s down to the sound of the box office till merrily-a-ringing to herald the arrival of chapters two and three, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass. Far from a done deal, the cast sure would be happy to meet up with their daemons again in the near future.
“It’s not my decision but I’d really love to return,” says Richards, while Kidman is simply happy pondering what her real-life animal companion would be: “Mine changes every day,” she says. “Today it’s a kitten.”
Why? “Well, I just feel like purring.”