Director Chris Weitz (
American Pie) left the post as director of the first installment of Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy,
His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass, according to the Hollywood Reporter
Weitz is said not to have left because of any creative differences and remains on as writer.
The trilogy -- its individual books are titled "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.
Described as darker in tone than the "Harry Potter" books, the series tackles themes of childhood, innocence and sin, and combines magic, science and theology.