While I’m sure that The Golden Compass and its eventual sequels will warm over the more interesting (and exceptionally controversial) themes of the books, it looks like they might actually do a good job with the feel of Pullman’s world. A nice touch: director Chris Weitz says most characters’ dæmons will be computer-generated, but dæmons that have been severed will be played by real animals. If the computed-generated dæmons are done well, it’ll provide a neat effect where the severed ones look mundane while the active ones look more magical.