Part 11/16:
Meanwhile, New Line’s attempt to replicate the His Dark Materials trilogy by adapting Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series from 2002 faced its own setbacks. The series’ critical and religiously controversial themes made a straightforward adaptation impossible. Multiple creative rewrites removed provocative content to avoid backlash, resulting in a bland film that failed to resonate theatrically.
Financially, the studio’s reliance on foreign pre-sales and a controversial financing model meant that profits from overseas markets often didn’t return to New Line. When The Golden Compass (2007), a high-profile adaptation, underperformed domestically, it resulted in significant losses, compounded by legal expenses and reduced revenues.