THE GOLDEN COMPASS
Production Information

In a parallel world, where human souls take the form of animal companions, one child stands between the end of free will and the beginning of a new age.

Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) is only 12, but even she knows that doing what you’re told versus doing what you feel is right can yield very different outcomes. A rebellious orphan living as a ward at Jordan College in Oxford, Lyra belongs to a world that is one of many parallel worlds – unseen, intangible dimensions where humanity evolves with subtle differences. But Lyra is never alone in hers – she goes everywhere with her daemon, a small, ever-changing animal called Pantalaimon. In other worlds, one’s soul resides inside the body, silent and unseen. In hers, a daemon is a lifelong companion. But Lyra’s world is changing. The all-encompassing governmental body called the Magisterium is tightening its grips on the populace. Its dark work has resulted in a rash of kidnappings of children by a mysterious force called the Gobblers. Rumors among the Gyptian boat people, who have lost many of their own to the kidnappers, is that the children are being taken to an Experimental Station in the north to be subjected to unspeakable experiments.

When Lyra’s best friend Roger (Ben Walker) vanishes, she swears she will travel to the end of the world to rescue him.

Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig), Lyra’s dashing, gruff explorer uncle, is simultaneously setting out for the same region where he is seeking to harness the power of a mysterious phenomenon called Dust that he believes resides where the Northern Lights play over the icy Arctic Circle.

Before leaving, Lyra is given a puzzling, ancient device called the alethiometer – one that is said to tell the bearer only the truth, if she can only figure out how to use it.

The creative behind-the-scenes team is led by Emmy-winning director of photography Henry Braham, BSC (Waking Ned Devine, Flyboys), Academy Award-winning production designer Dennis Gassner (Bugsy, Road to Perdition), Oscar winner (for Lawrence of Arabia) and four-time Academy Award-nominated editor Anne V. Coates, A.C.E. (Becket, The Elephant Man, In the Line of Fire, Out of Sight), Oscar-nominated costume designer Ruth Myers (Emma, L.A. Confidential) and Oscar-nominated senior visual effects supervisor Michael Fink (X-Men 1& 2, Constantine). Music is by Oscar nominee Alexandré Desplat (The Queen). Casting is by Fiona Weir and Lucy Bevan.