Pullman Has Pulled

According to IGN, the key roles of Lord Asriel and Mrs. Coulter in the upcoming adulteration of Phillip Pullman's The Golden Compass/Northern Lights have been handed out, and handed out to a pair of Dogville alumni, no less.

That's right - Ben Gazarra and Patricia Clarkson.

Oh, actually, no. I'm dreaming again. The parts have, apparently, gone to Paul Bettany and Nicole Kidman.

Truth be told, Kidman's name has been bandied about in relation to this project for months if not years, and it does seem to make about as much sense as, say, Tilda Swinton in Narnia, but that, if anything, just encourages me to suspect this news is less than watertight. It might still be overinflated rumour - but we'll find out soon, I'm sure.

Like Comicon soon.

Another, as yet unspecified part, has reportedly gone to Clare Higgins, a recent recipient of the Olivier award - for which she beat Anna Maxwell Martin, nominated for playing Lyra in the stage adaptation of the whole His Dark Materials trilogy. Small world, etcetera.

The film - whatever they call it Compass, Lights, whatever - begins principle photography in September. For some reason New Line's suits ditched Tom Stoppard's script and wouldn't even speak to Terry Gilliam about directing, so they've gone way, way wrong already.

Apparently some early shooting is underway already, but if it's taking place here in Oxford, they've done a good job of hiding it, and if it isn't - then why not?