On February 11, 2002, following the success of New Line's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, the studio bought the rights to Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.
Den 11. februar 2002, efter New Lines succes med Ringenes Herre: Eventyret om Ringen, købte studiet rettighederne til Philip Pullmans Det gyldne kompas-trilogi.