Continuing the onslaught of merchandise for The Golden Compass, “leading novelty confectionery manufacturer” “Mr Lucky Bags” are set to launch a “Movie Bag” to coincides with the launch of the film in December. Not a carrying bag, the Movie Bag combines “an activity-based movie poster with confectionery and other novelties that are all themed and 100% branded to the movie.” Read more.
In addition to trading cards (of which we now have new and enlarged images), Inkworks have also produced “Pieceworks” cards for The Golden Compass. These cards feature fabric that was used in the creation of the film’s costumes: for example, Lord Asriel’s Tweed Jacket, or Mrs Coulter’s Cocktail Dress. You can view all 11 over at our merchandise section.
This October will see the release of the official the Golden Compass board game, produced under license from New Line Cinema. The game comes to us from the award-winning Lord of the Rings game inventor/designers Francesco Nepitello and Marco Maggi, with art taken straight from the eagerly awaited forthcoming film. Sophisticated Games, specialists in literature-based board games, have been confirmed to be producing the game for distributors in Germany, Spain, and Greece, and the United Kingdom.
As far as the game play goes, the game features an alethiometer with moving hands as its centre piece, but also involves cards and tokens which help to influence Lyra’s progress through the story. The makers assure us that the game looks stunning, and that while movie-based games “don’t always push the quality envelope,” they have tried their hardest to make The Golden Compass board game several cuts above the average film-derived game.
You can view the boardgame’s box and the board itself below - click for larger.
An official-looking Japanese site on The Golden Compass has popped up. New Line appear to be running another audition for Lyra - this time for Japanese girls, presumably to voice the dub when the film is released in Japan next March. In a video on the site, director Chris Weitz says, “I’m very excited to have the chance to find another Lyra, from Japan. Please do not miss this opportunity, and I look forward to seeing you in London this November.” Also on the site is a Japanese trailer for the film - it mostly uses footage we’ve already seen, but there’s a couple of new shots within it. You can view it below.
In addition, there’s a few other items dotted about the site. The “keyholder” below seems to be available for fans buying tickets in advance; whilst this map featuring cute cartoon renditions of the characters/actors is a simple maze-puzzle. It’s available in pdf here, with the solution here.
Here’s some more images of the toy line from The Golden Compass for you - this time of the vehicles from the film. These will all be released on the 30th November. As ever, click the thumbnails for larger images.
We’ve received fresh pictures of The Golden Compass toys - these are a little more up-close, and not through a display cabinet. These are apparently very close to the finished products and are due for release in October. You can view them by clicking the thumbnails below; and read about all the toys and replicas on our merchandise page.
As Scholastic announced back in January and July, various tie-in books to go along with The Golden Compass movie will be released this autumn. They include a “story of the film” offering; an illustrated movie companion and a quizbook. The latest covers for these books are below - as ever, they may change before publication.
The Executive Vice-President of Corgi, Darren Epstein, has been speaking to Variety about his company’s high-hopes for The Golden Compass toy line. He says, “I was on the ‘Golden Compass’ set a few weeks ago, talking to the costume designer, the props master. Some of these people are Oscar winners, and yet they are concerning themselves about how a prop looks on set and how that can be transformed into something you can play with. In the past few years, the studios have realized that toys are a core part of the marketing for a franchise, and they are really helping to develop the product. […] We’re bringing some ideas that do well in the adult collectible market into the toy area. We want the boy or girl to immerse themselves in the world of the film, so we’re developing and sculpting the best likeness of any toy product there has been.” Read more.
Playthings' report on the New York Toy Fair (see below) also has a few words with Leslye Schaefer, senior vice president of marketing and consumer products for Scholastic Media - the publishers of His Dark Materials. Along with the release of the movie will come several tie-in books from Scholastic - including movie-themed artwork as covers, plus games and puzzles from Mega Brands and Sababa Toys. “It's a really nice marriage and it's been really interesting for us,” Schaefer says. “We're launching a huge campaign.”
Figures.com have an extensive series of images showing prototypes of the toys by Corgi designed to tie in to The Golden Compass movie. Taken at this year’s New York Toy Fair, the photos show figurines of Lyra, the Gyptians and Mrs Coulter; with an alethiometer toy and several vehicles - including Lee Scoresby’s balloon, a carriage (as seen in the concept art) and the boat Lyra takes to the North. View the images.
Marketing manager Travis Allen says: “This is a huge deal for us on a number of levels. We’re really, really excited about it - it has the most beautiful style guide I’ve ever seen.” To what we’ve already seen, he adds that also on the way is a “digital pet that incorporates the idea of animal familiars inside a toy compass” along with “role-play costumes; a board game and collectible trading cards.”
Continuing the onslaught of merchandise for The Golden Compass, “leading novelty confectionery manufacturer” “Mr Lucky Bags” are set to launch a “Movie Bag” to coincides with the launch of the film in December. Not a carrying bag, the Movie Bag combines “an activity-based movie poster with confectionery and other novelties that are all themed and 100% branded to the movie.” Read more.
Figures.com have an extensive series of images showing prototypes of the toys by Corgi designed to tie in to The Golden Compass movie. Taken at this year’s New York Toy Fair, the photos show figurines of Lyra, the Gyptians and Mrs Coulter; with an alethiometer toy and several vehicles - including Lee Scoresby’s balloon, a carriage (as seen in the concept art) and the boat Lyra takes to the North. View the images.
Marketing manager Travis Allen says: “This is a huge deal for us on a number of levels. We’re really, really excited about it - it has the most beautiful style guide I’ve ever seen.” To what we’ve already seen, he adds that also on the way is a “digital pet that incorporates the idea of animal familiars inside a toy compass” along with “role-play costumes; a board game and collectible trading cards.”
