New Line Axes God From His Dark Materials Trilogy

Posted on December 8, 2004

Times (U.K) reports that New Line Cinema, which is turning Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy into three films has decided to hit the delete key when it comes to religion in the films, a move which has infuriated some fans of the books but which bothers Mr. Pullman not at all. In the books, the church is an evil, powerful force which is reminescent of the Catholic Church during the Spanish Inquisition. The church is overcome by two children searching for truth. Chris Weitz, the director of the film, has announced that references to the church are likely to be eliminated in his film. Meanwhile the "Authority" will become "any arbitrary establishment that curtails the freedom of the individual". Pullman himself seems fine with turning the evil church from the books into a more secular, evil organization which serves the same purpose in the books -- to be the villain of the piece. Pullman reportedly has said that the Authority could represent any repressive establishment -- political, totalitarian, fundamentalist or communist. In an interview with The Times last year, Pullman was asked whether turning his books into films would compromise his vision. "Why say yes when they come to you with large amounts of money? I can't imagine why," he replied, laughing. New Line believes that making a church the villain would kill the box office in America. And they're probably right.