Of all the Harry Potter rip offs, this one looks the best, they have a few others coming out this year, the Spiderwick Chronicles and some other movie I keep seeing the ads for with an annoying American kid in it, but this one looks the best by far. Also I just read the books and their really good, I would highly recommend them for slightly older children or adults.

Theres a teaser here, but also an extended preview:

Yahoo

the books came highly recommended by a british lady i know. i have started the first one just recently, and i have to say it has drawn me in. it is less innocent and has a much darker undertone than the potter stuff, but so far im pretty excited about it. the similarities in protagonists as far as station is pretty annoying but they make no bones about saying they will beat this child and that they know more about where she is headed than she does.

its kinda like DUNE meets Harry potter.

ill report back when im closer to the finish of the first book

they are listed as "his dark materials" if you go looking for the set.

i got all three at once.

My wife and kids read this book, and from what I heard it is pretty interesting. Should be a good movie.

I didn't make any connection to Harry Potter when I read them. Well, to be honest, I read them before HP, but I still dont' see them as a ripoff at all. I got about half-way through the third book before losing interest. Started out very exciting and I couldn't put it down. Hopefully that won't be the case for you guys.

This site is filtered for me, (but not Apple.com??) so I'll try and remember to check it out when I get home. My daughter loved the books if I recall correctly. She probably didn't understand some of the undertones.

I actually kind of meant that all the film companies are coming out with all these adaptations of childrens books Homie, after the huge success of The Rings and The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe, they seem to be turning every childrens fantasy book into a movie, and they can't all be that good.

Children are less discerning though, so they may do well, but to do really well, they need to get the adult audience and some of the trailers I have seen recently wouldn't get my money.

Well if you look at the movie industry now, its all about sequels and books.

This is true, although I never considered LOTR to be a childrens book. Far from it. Kids love the movies though!

I think it would be a terrible shame if they made this movie and catered it only to children. There is a seriousness to it that is part of the overall feel of the books. Making it too funny would ruin the flavor, like putting sugar on your rice.

I still haven't seen Brdge to Terabithia, but as I understand it, there is a fair amount of difference between that movie and the book (which is short, but good). I seriously doubt that that book would make a good movie without a good amount of "addition". I only hope they didn't "hollywoodize" it too much. Reminds me to watch it soon. I think I have a copy on my computer somewhere....

The Hobbit was a kids book, LOTR was not.

The Hobbit is def for younger kids than LOTR, but either would be hard for most modern kids to read and comprehend. The style of writing is a bit archaic. I've read The Hobbit to my kids and they love it, but they need some clarification on some of the wording and meanings. His Dark Materials is even more surreal and has an even darker tone overall. Less black and white.

I loved the little references in LOTR and the heroic and epic nature.

Yeah, isn't that that "I want to kill God" dude's atheistic diatribe trilogy?

Meh. More crap like that we don't need.

I agree Mike, but to each their own. The series started out like gangbusters, and the first book was very good. By the thrid book I was like.. meh... I never finished it.

That said, the trailer looks very good, and has some big names in it, so hopefully it will be entertaining. This is the kind of movie that probably wouldn't exactly be ruined by a little bit of Hollywood in it.

I'm still looking forward to the next HP more. One word... Hermione!