Golden Compass Controversy

Diane Daniels (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - There is a film due out on December 7th that is aimed at kids and it is creating a groundswell of controversy among some parents and Christian groups. The film, "The Golden Compass," stars Nicole Kidman and it is rated PG-13. However, some groups are urging a boycott of the movie based on the best-selling book by the same name.

"The Golden Compass" is the first in a series of three books by author, Philip Pullman. The trilogy of books is called his "Dark Materials."

The movie tells the story of a young girl on a quest to help her kidnapped friend. This takes her into a fantasy world full of talking animals which represent the human soul. Some Christian groups say the film amounts to atheism for children. The author was reportedly quoted in a media interview four years ago, saying his books are about killing God.

New Line Cinema, the same filmmaker that produced the "Lord of the Rings," has reportedly removed religious elements. But on the internet, a boycott is on. T-shirts supporting a boycott are even for sale online.

The Scholastic Book Company is also coming under fire in all of this. Scholastic is marketing movie merchandise related to "The Golden Compass." The President of the Catholic League is publicly denouncing the publisher for this.