Chris Weitz (
American Pie) is in talks to adapt and direct the first installment of Philip Pullman's celebrated kids fantasy book trilogy
His Dark Materials, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The studio is eyeing the trilogy as its follow-up to the
Lord of the Rings series. It is unclear at this time whether Weitz would direct the other two installments.
The trilogy -- "The Golden Compass," "The Subtle Knife" and "The Amber Spyglass" -- revolves around two children who live in parallel worlds surrounded by a cast of shape-shifting creatures.