Making up for the movie? Philip pullman's his dark materials gets bbc

The first book, Northern Lights, was adapted for the cinema in 2007 under the name The Golden Compass, but despite a cast including Daniel Craig, Nicole Kidman and Eva Green, it was panned

by fans and no follow-up was made. Now, New Line Cinema - who released the film - are producing the TV attempt alongside Bad Wolf. Pullman said: "It's been a constant source of

pleasure to me to see this story adapted to different forms and presented in different media.  "It's been a radio play, a stage play, a film, an audiobook, a graphic novel - and

now comes this version for television." He added: "In recent years we've seen how long stories on television, whether adaptations (Game Of Thrones) or original (The Sopranos,

The Wire), can reach depths of characterisation and heights of suspense by taking the time for events to make their proper impact and for consequences to unravel. "And the sheer talent

now working in the world of long-form television is formidable. For all those reasons I'm delighted at the prospect of a television version of His Dark Materials." The books take

place in a parallel universe and tell the story of Lyra, an orphan who searches for a kidnapped friend and uncovers a sinister plot involving stolen children and their daemons, animal-like

representations of a person's 'inner self'. The trilogy is completed by The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass, and together they've racked up 17.5 million sales

worldwide since publication in 1995. Reactions to the news online have been largely positive, but fans are wary of any new adaptations after the lack of success achieved by the film.

"So excited about the His Dark Materials announcement. They are my favourite books and the movie didn't do them justice," one Twitter user posted, while another said:

"I'M SO EXCITED. I'M SO... SCARED." The show will be filmed in Wales with Pullman himself as executive producer. No airdate has been announced yet.