Chris Weitz is back on board to direct the adaptation of the first installment of Philip Pullman's
His Dark Materials trilogy, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Anand Tucker, who had replaced Weitz, recently exited the film because of creative differences. Sources close to the project cited budget constraints. Weitz, who directed
About a Boy and
American Pie, jumped at the opportunity to return to the coming-of-age story. "Though I'm disappointed that New Line and Anand didn't end up seeing eye to eye, when I was told the job of directing 'Golden Compass' was open, there was just no way that I could pass it up."