London newspapers are reporting that not only is Nicole Kidman‘s "His Dark Materials" contract a done deal, but also that Paul Bettany (a.k.a. Mr. Jennifer Connelly) is now on board the highly-anticipated adaptation.
From IGN FilmForce: "As recent rumors suggested, Nicole Kidman will indeed be joining the cast of the "His Dark Materials" trilogy, beginning with "The Golden Compass." According to The Daily Mail and several other sources, the starlet assuming the role of the insidious Mrs. Coulter — a character Kidman’s skills are perfectly suited to.
Paul Bettany ("The Da Vinci Code") is also in final negotiations to join the picture as Lord Asriel. Bettany and Kidman are reportedly good friends, having acted alongside each other in "Dogville," and Bettany’s involvement was apparently a factor in convincing Kidman to consider the film."
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Based on the book by Philip Pullman, "His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass" will be directed by Chris Weitz. It should hit theaters in late 2007.
