While all articles before this one stated that Weitz is in talks with New Line about the movie, this one seems to confirm it. However, they may have jumped the gun.
"Chris Weitz (AMERICAN PIE, ABOUT A BOY) will direct the first film in the HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy. Weitz will direct THE GOLDEN COMPASS, the first book by Philip Pullman, with a script by Tom Stoppard (SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE). [...] As part of the deal, Weitz will also take a pass at Stoppard's script."
While his brother Paul is off directing SYNERGY with Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace and Scarlett Johansson, Chris Weitz (AMERICAN PIE, ABOUT A BOY) will direct the first film in the HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy. Weitz will direct THE GOLDEN COMPASS, the first book by Philip Pullman, with a script by Tom Stoppard (SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE). Numerous directors were considered for the high-profile directing gig but Weitz won the job with an impassioned plea and a long dissertation on how he envisioned the project presented to Stoppard, New Line execs and Pullman. The were impressed by his take on the material and he got the gig. As part of the deal, Weitz will also take a pass at Stoppard's script. COMPASS follows 11-year-old Lyra Belacqua, an English orphan who exists in a parallel universe of sorts with creatures like a Pantalaimon. When Lyra prevents an assassination attempt on her uncle Lord Asriel it sets in motion a chain of events that are way too complicated to get into here. Two books follow COMPASS in the series, THE SUBTLE COMPASS and THE AMBER SPYGLASS, but New Line isn't taking any LOTR-type gambles with this production. The follow-up books could be combined into one film to save money or, depending on the success of the first film, could get the full trilogy treatment. Despite their separate projects, the Weitz brothers still plan to work together once the finish SYNERGY and THE GOLDEN COMPASS.
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