Eva Green has signed to to star as the queen of witches in The Golden Compass for New Line Cinema.

The film is the first installment of a potential trilogy based on Phillip Pullman's His Dark Materials. Variety says Green will play Serafina Pekula, the witch who guides Lyra Belacqua (to be played by newcomer Dakota Blue Richards) on her journey to a parallel universe. Nicole Kidman was just set to play the villain Mrs. Coulter.

Chris Weitz is directing his adaptation of the novel; filming for The Golden Compass begins Sept. 4 at Shepperton Studios in London. New Line has set a November 16, 2007 release.