Giving toys a 'Golden' touch
By Staff -- Playthings, 12/1/2006
New Line Cinema and Scholastic Media's The Golden Compass, due out next November, is the first chapter in Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy His Dark Materials.
The much-awaited film—about 12-year-old Lyra Belacqua's quest to rescue a kidnapped friend from the far North—stars Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman, Emmy-winner Ian McShane (Deadwood) and newbie actress Dakota Blue Richards.
Recently announced licensees Master Replicas, Walnut Creek, Calif., and Cards Inc., which just produced a toy line for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, are on board to develop collectibles based on the film, while San Francisco-based Sega is scheduled to release the very first Golden Compass video game. Random House novels and Scholastic movie tie-in books, plus a line of collectible trading cards from Inkworks, will also be in the mix next year.
David Imhoff, New Line's senior executive vice president of worldwide licensing and merchandising tells Playthings that “everyone will be happy” with the product tied to the film, the studio's big fantasy follow-up to Lord of the Rings, because licensees and their unique product offerings were carefully chosen by the studio for this property.
“Kids are much more sophisticated,” he says. “Action figures are a good business to be in, but kids expect more than that. What's central to us is someone that says 'I know your property, and I have a great idea to transition it into toys.' We also want retailers that can take the property and take it for what it is—and not pigeonhole it into what it's not. What we want when we leave 2007 is that [consumers] can't believe how great Golden Compass products were and can't wait for the next film.” —TB
