New Bond takes role in Golden Compass

The new James Bond, Daniel Craig, has accepted a role in the first instalment of The Golden Compass, based onthe His Dark Materialstrilogy of books by Philip Pullman.

Craig will play Lord Asriel, a ruthless and mysterious adventurer who is the uncle of Lyra Belacqua, the young heroine who journeys to a parallel universe to save her best friend, according to Variety.

Craig will be seen as Bond for the first time in Casino Royale later this year. His Casino Royale co-star Eva Green also will star in The Golden Compass as a witch who helps the girl on her journey.

Pullman's popular fantasy novels, The Northern Lights/The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass, are being made into movies by Britain's New Line.

Chris Weitz, who was nominated for a best screenplay Oscar for About a Boy, is writing and directing.

Newcomer Dakota Blue Richards, 12, was selected from hundreds of hopefuls to play the main role.

Shooting begins Sept. 4 in the U.K. and the first film in the trilogy is expected to come out in November 2007.

Craig moves from the set of the fantasy film to another James Bond project, the 22nd in the series.