Entertainment news from the industry, via AnimationFlash.

On the "please tell me you're kidding" front:

After dropping out as director of the adaptation of Philip Pullman's sci-fi novel THE GOLDEN COMPASS, AMERICAN PIE director Chris Weitz is again taking the helm of the film as Anand Tucker (SHOPGIRL) steps down, reports VARIETY. Weitz stepped down from the first installment in the HIS DARK MATERIALS trilogy due to his concern with never having dealt with daunting technical effects challenges. New Line states that Tucker has left the project due to "differences in creative direction."

The film is still set to lens this fall in the U.K. and hit theaters in November 2007.

The story revolves around Lyra, a girl who travels to the far north to save her best friend, encountering armored bears, witches and other fantastical characters in the process.

"Though I'm disappointed that New Line and Anand didn't end up seeing eye to eye, when I was told the job of directing THE GOLDEN COMPASS was open, there was just no way that I could pass it up," Weitz said. "I feel very confident in the creativity and expertise of the technical crew that is assembling to take on this challenge."

Scholastic Ent., which published Pullman's trilogy in the U.K., and Weitz's
Depth of Field are producing. Exec producers are sibling Paul Weitz and
Andrew Miano.

On the "shouldn't you be working on Torchwood?" front:

Jetix Europe has teamed with Park Ent. and the DOCTOR WHO creative team of Bob Baker and Paul Tams to develop K-9 ADVENTURES, a 26 x30 comedy/fantasy series featuring Doctor Who's famous robot dog. The show will employ state of the art CGI animation mixed with live-action, to give K-9 a sleek new look for the series that is set in space.

Baker was a writer and Tams a designer and illustrator for the classic DOCTOR WHO series. Baker, whose writing credits include the Oscar-winning WALLACE & GROMIT IN THE CURSE OF THE WERE-RABBIT, WALLACE AND GROMIT: THE WRONG TROUSERS and WALLACE AND GROMIT: A CLOSE SHAVE, co-created K-9 as the Doctor's robotic canine companion with then co-writer Dave Martin. Baker and Tams have formed K-9 Films.

The original K-9 made a guest appearance in the third episode of the new series of DOCTOR WHO with David Tennant, entitled "School Reunion," which aired last week on BBC1.

Michael Lekes, svp, programming, Jetix Europe, said, "K-9 ADVENTURES is an incredibly exciting project for Jetix. It's set to be an excellent pace fantasy/adventure series that we are sure will be immensely popular with Jetix viewers, particularly in the U.K., following the recent revival and widespread popularity of DOCTOR WHO."

"I am absolutely delighted to be giving K-9 a new lease of life and a new look for his own series on Jetix, and it's thrilling to be able to offer younger DOCTOR WHO fans the chance to get to know K-9," said K-9 ADVENTURES co-creator Baker, of for K-9 Films. "I believe they will love the 21st century K-9 as much as past generations did when he appeared in DOCTOR WHO.

"We feel that K-9 holds a very special place in the hearts of all DOCTOR WHO fans and we are thrilled to be working with Bob, Paul and everyone at Jetix on the development and production of the series," added Jim Howell, chief exec of Park Ent.