CANNES, FRANCE — There's no denying that Hollywood worships sequels. New Line Cinema has taken the love affair one step further: It's cloning not a movie, but a movie launch.
For the second time in six years, the studio has come to the Cannes Film Festival with a few minutes of an unfinished film in tow. It's to prove, yet again, that New Line not only hasn't trampled a beloved piece of fantasy literature, but also has turned out an impressive epic. The drill turned out beautifully with 2001's sneak peek at "Lord of the Rings" footage. But can lightning strike twice with "The Golden Compass"?
In the works for six years, "Compass " represents what New Line -- and writer-director Chris Weitz -- hopes will be the first installment in another trilogy of ambitious blockbusters. Like "The Lord of the Rings," which had a tortuous path to the screen, the first movie adapted from Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" books did not coalesce easily. And as was true with New Line's choice of Peter Jackson to adapt J.R.R. Tolkien, "The Golden Compass" represents a steep wager on a counterintuitive filmmaking choice.
Weitz is moving from alternately crude and clever comedies ("American Pie," "About a Boy") to an epic, effects-laden children's adventure, set to open Dec. 7.
Weitz's most expensive film previously was 2001's $35-million "Down to Earth." The price tag for "The Golden Compass": $180 million. The most special-effects shots the director ever has put in a film was one. The not-quite-final effects tally for his new tale of a 12-year-old girl's trip across the tundra and the universe: 1,000.
By unveiling 10 minutes of assorted scenes from "Compass," New Line wanted to prove to its Cannes audience of media, cineastes and distributors that Weitz was up to the assignment. Roughly 100 journalists turned out for the first of four scheduled Cannes previews of the clips.
"We want people to feel the excitement of the material," said Bob Shaye, New Line's co-chairman. "We're not claiming it's the second coming of 'The Lord of the Rings.' We think it's a great work in its own right."
New Line initially hired British playwright Tom Stoppard to adapt the first Pullman book (called "Northern Lights"), but the studio was unhappy with his script, deeming it uncommercial. New Line production chief Toby Emmerich started meeting with new screenwriters including Weitz, who Emmerich considered a longshot.
