Craig lands role in 'The Golden Compass'

'Layer Cake'

Daniel Craig has been cast in a leading role in The Golden Compass, Variety reports.

Fresh from his role as 007, the actor will play Lord Asriel, the cold-hearted uncle of the central character Lyra in the adaptation of the first book in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy.

Production will start early next month in the U.K., with the release date set for November 2007.