Pullman unfazed by movie changes

Bestselling author Philip Pullman has insisted that he never gets annoyed about approaches taken in film and TV adaptations of his work.

The Golden Compass, the first novel in Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy, was turned into a movie starring Dakota Blue Richard and Nicole Kidman in 2007. Meanwhile, his Sally Lockhart books have spawned BBC TV adaptations starring Billie Piper.

Pullman has confirmed that he prefers to distance himself from the projects after initial discussions, rather than becoming embroiled in "fruitless" battles.

"They've paid me for it, it's their job from then on," Pullman told the Liverpool Daily Post. "I do have an interest, of course. I want it to be done as closely to the book as makes sense, but you have to change some things, you have to leave a lot out when you're making a film of a book.

"I know how little influence and how little power the writer has to make much difference, and I've always found it completely fruitless to fight battles you're not going to win. I've tended to just shrug my shoulders."

In July, Pullman confirmed that there may not be a movie sequel to The Golden Compass after the film underperformed at the box office.