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The Golden Compass (2007) More at IMDbPro »
2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2004
1-20 of 310 articles from 2009 « Prev | Next »
Who killed off The Golden Compass?
4 hours ago | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
Sam Elliot believes the Catholic church killed off any chances of a sequel to The Golden Compass, but the truth may be far simpler
After the success of Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy looked a dead cert for epic fantasy book franchise success. In 2007, when first installment The Golden Compass was released, it looked to have all the right ingredients: moppet actors, spectacular battles, a sexy baddie, Ian McKellen, snow. But no sequels were made. Why?
Actor Sam Elliot thinks he knows. According to an interview in the Evening Standard, Elliot – who basically played himself in The Golden Compass – is pinning the failure of the series directly on the Pope, saying: "The Catholic church happened to The Golden Compass, as far as I'm concerned. It did incredible at the box office. Incredible. It took $85m (£52m) in the States. »
- Stuart Heritage
Elliott Slams Church Over The Golden Compass Sequels
9 hours ago | WENN | See recent WENN news »
American actor Sam Elliott has accused the Roman Catholic Church of scaring Hollywood producers into shelving the two planned sequels to hit movie The Golden Compass.
The film, which starred Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, was the first of author Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials fantasy trilogy to be adapted for the big screen.
Two further films based on Pullman's novels - The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass - were due to be made following the box office success of 2007's The Golden Compass - but plans were stalled last year, seemingly as a result of the downturn in the economy.
But Elliott is convinced the real reason is down to opposition from church leaders, who he claims put indirect pressure on officials at studio New Line to pull the planned sequels.
He tells Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper, "The Catholic church happened to The Golden Compass, as far as I'm concerned.
"It did incredible at the box office, taking $380 million. Incredible. It took $85 million in the States.
"The Catholic Church... lambasted them and I think it scared New Line off."
Bill Donohue, of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, led the mission, calling on parents to boycott the film for attempting to "introduce Christian children to the wonders of atheism in a backdoor fashion at Christmas time." And he's delighted his move seems to have worked: "I knew if we could hurt the box office receipts here, it might put the brakes on the next movie." »
The Catholic Church Killed Golden Compass's Sequels
21 hours ago | cinemablend.com | See recent Cinema Blend news »
Like a lot of people I.d assumed that The Golden Compass wasn.t getting a sequel because it wasn.t, well, particularly good. But despite it.s mediocre nature the movie actually did make a lot of money, more than enough to justify making another movie and continuing the saga of Philip Pullman.s .His Dark Materials. trilogy. But it.ll never happen and according to Golden Compass star Sam Eilliot, the Catholic Church is to blame. Talking to the Evening Standard when asked what happened to the movies that were supposed to be made out of the next two .His Dark Materials. books, Sam had this to say: .The Catholic Church happened to The Golden Compass, as far as I'm concerned. It did 'incredible' at the box office, taking $380million. Incredible. It took $85million in the States. The Catholic Church ... lambasted them, and I think it scared New »
Actor Sam Elliot blames Catholic Church, Bill O’Reilly for lack of sequels to ‘The Golden Compass’
22 hours ago | ReelLoop.com | See recent Reel Loop news »
According to veteran actor Sam Elliot, it was the Catholic Church that forced the closure of two planned sequels to 2007’s The Golden Compass, the first entry in what was supposed to be a series of films based on the novels from outspoken atheist Philip Pullman.
Shortly before the release of The Golden Compass in 2007, both The Catholic League For Religious and Civil Rights and Fox News pundit Bill O’Reilly, denounced the film and called for a boycott.
At the time, O’Reilly said the film was a part of the overall “war on Christmas” waged by liberals.
“The Catholic Church happened to The Golden Compass, as far as I’m concerned,” says Elliot. “It did incredible at the box office, taking $380 million. Incredible. It took $85 million in the States. The Catholic Church… lambasted them, and I think it scared New Line off.”
According to IMDb, The Golden Compass »
- Reel Loop News Staff
Elliot: 'Church forced Dark Materials axe'
14 December 2009 7:54 AM, PST | digitalspy | See recent digitalspy news »
Sam Elliot has claimed that pressure from the Catholic Church was the reason for New Line opting to axe the two sequels for The Golden Compass. The actor played aeronaut Lee Scoresby in the adaptation of Philip Pullman's Northern Lights, the first part in the author's His Dark Materials trilogy. On its release in 2007, the movie was boycotted by The Catholic League For Religious and Civil Rights. Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly also attacked the film and reportedly dubbed it a "war on Christmas". Elliot told the Evening Standard: "The Catholic Church happened to The Golden Compass, as far as I'm concerned. "It did incredible at the box office, taking $$380million (£235 million). Incredible. It took $$85million in the States. The Catholic Church... lambasted them, and I think it scared New Line (more) »
- By Mayer Nissim
The people who ruined the decade
11 December 2009 4:58 PM, PST | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
Part 2: From Andrew Sachs to Harry Potter
Andrew Sachs Sent the Beeb into cautious compliance meltdown
If Manuel had bothered to pick up his phone, Ross and Brand wouldn't have been tempted to leave their naughty messages, the Daily Mail wouldn't have been able to work itself up into a hypocritical moralistic lather, thousands of people who'd never heard the original show wouldn't have rung in to complain, Russell Brand would still have his Radio 2 show instead of Alan bleedin' Carr, and the BBC wouldn't get all jumpy every time Frankie Boyle made jokes about the Queen's fanny. See Also The Satanic Slut
Steve Jobs Killed the album with his zero-attention-span 'apps'
It was supposed to be so easy. Get your CDs, rip them in to iTunes, put them on your iPod. Then, whenever a latent desire to listen to Reo Speedwagon arose you could sate it right away. »
The people who ruined the decade
11 December 2009 4:58 PM, PST | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news »
Part 2: From Andrew Sachs to Harry Potter
Andrew Sachs Sent the Beeb into cautious compliance meltdown
If Manuel had bothered to pick up his phone, Ross and Brand wouldn't have been tempted to leave their naughty messages, the Daily Mail wouldn't have been able to work itself up into a hypocritical moralistic lather, thousands of people who'd never heard the original show wouldn't have rung in to complain, Russell Brand would still have his Radio 2 show instead of Alan bleedin' Carr, and the BBC wouldn't get all jumpy every time Frankie Boyle made jokes about the Queen's fanny. See Also The Satanic Slut
Steve Jobs Killed the album with his zero-attention-span 'apps'
It was supposed to be so easy. Get your CDs, rip them in to iTunes, put them on your iPod. Then, whenever a latent desire to listen to Reo Speedwagon arose you could sate it right away. »
After 'The Lovely Bones,' Here Are Five Novels Peter Jackson Should Consider
11 December 2009 12:00 PM, PST | MTV Movies Blog | See recent MTV Movies Blog news »
There's no denying it. Peter Jackson knows his way around an adaptation. "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy was stellar, as we all know. And "King Kong," for all of it's issues, carried with it the spirit of the original. Now he's on to "The Lovely Bones," Alice Sebold's beautiful-yet-disturbing story of a young girl's trip through the afterlife following her murder at the hands of a sadistic serial killer. He had his work cut out for him there. Making that story something an audience can stomach without succumbing to overblown emotion is nigh on impossible.
I suppose that’s why it’s so strange that Jackson came to direct an adaptation of the massively successful novel in the first place. “The Lovely Bones” is a quiet book, a narrative crushed underneath the weight of trauma and loss, it’s only release in the eventual comeuppance visited upon its »
- John Constantine
Twilight’s ‘Breaking Dawn’ To Be Split Into Two Movies?
1 December 2009 9:13 AM, PST | ScreenRant.com | See recent Screen Rant news »
It looks like the The Twilight Saga franchise is taking a leaf out of Harry Potter’s book and splitting into two films. Variety is reporting that studio Summit Entertainment is considering splitting the fourth and last installment of the franchise, Breaking Dawn, into two movies – much like the Harry Potter franchise is doing with its last film, Deathly Hallows.
Sources are saying that the furthest Summit has gone with developing Breaking Dawn is getting Melissa Rosenberg to write the script after writing the first three. Of course, splitting the fourth film into two parts would mean Summit toppers, Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger, having to cut bigger checks (particularly for stars Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson) – and there’s also the question of whether or not New Moon director, Chris Weitz, will react favorably to overtures from the company and the cast to return and shoot two films back-to-back. »
- Ross Miller
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Getting Two Movies?
1 December 2009 5:32 AM, PST | FilmShaft.com | See recent FilmShaft.com news »
While the idea that The Twilight Saga: Beaking Dawn would be split into two movies is not a new idea by any stretch of the imagination, it does have a certain relevance now. After two successful week’s dominating the worldwide box office, The Twilight Saga: New Moon is making the execs at Summit Entertainmentvery rich indeed, and of course with the exception of that faux statement issued several months ago, an announcement has still to be made over the fate of the fourth story in the series.
According to Variety, Summit are currently looking at this very issue, and given the success of part 2 who can blame them for trying to milk a fifth film out of this series?
Summit execs would not comment, but multiple sources said that the film company wants to go the two-film route, which means re-opening negotiations and getting approval from the author. It »
- Craig Sharp
Top 10 flops of the 00's
30 November 2009 | Cineman.ch/en | See recent Cineman.ch/en news »
With the decade coming to a close at the end of the year, it's time to take stock. Here is a list of the biggest financial flops of 2000's first decade. #10: 2008's "The Spirit". With a price tag of $60 million, graphic novelist Frank Miller's movie took in barely a third of that, despite a fabulous cast that included Eva Mendes, Scarlett Johansson and Spain's Paz Vega. #9: The ambitious but too-pointed 1970¹s B-movie homage "Grindhouse". The movie made only $25 million but cost $67 million, which tainted maker Quentin Tarantino a loser in 2007. Meanwhile, America's enfant terrible has redeemed himself with "Inglourious Basterds". #9: The remake of the 1970's classic, "Rollerball", released in 2002. $70 million price tag, $19 million in sales. The failure seems to have tanked the career of formerly success director John McTiernan, who later got 4 months for lying to the FBI in the Anthony Pellicano affair. #7: "The Invasion »
- Constantin Xenakis (Cineman)
Birthday Suits, An Oscar For Ed!
28 November 2009 6:20 AM, PST | FilmExperience | See recent FilmExperience news »
Each day we're celebriting the birth of various cinematic persons. Can someone in Hollywood please give their Oscar to Ed Harris today? I mean, my god how long does he have to wait for that damn thing? The rest of today's Sagittarians are less easy to shop for. What could we give Jon Stewart, for example, that he doesn't already have?
Ed, Laura and Jon
1896 Lilia Skala, Oscar nominated actress (Lilies of the Field)
1923 Gloria Grahame, Oscar winner (The Bad the Beautiful)
933 Hope Lange, Oscar nominated actress (Peyton Place, The Young Lions, Death Wish)
1941 Laura Antonelli, Italian actress, sex symbol
1946 Joe Dante He'll always have Gremlins, such a great 80s picture.
1949 Alexander Godunov, like Baryshnikov, he was a Russian ballet star who defected to America and co-starred in movies. It didn't go quite as well. He never achieved anything close to Misha's level of fame though he made for a memorable screen presence (Witness, »
- NATHANIEL R
New Moon Director’s Response To Reviews: “Some people don’t get it”
26 November 2009 12:32 PM, PST | FilmShaft.com | See recent FilmShaft.com news »
I’m assuming that Chris Weitz isn’t talking about our reviews for The Twilight Saga: New Moon (which, incidentally can be found here and here). However, the New Moon and “The Golden Compass” director has indeed addressed the negative reviews for his sharp-fanged flick which have swamped the net since the movie’s release on 20th November.
Talking to Entertainment Weekly, Weitz had a very simply explanation for why certain critics were not taken with Edward, Bella and co:
The tracking numbers were enough to indicate that I wouldn’t be letting the studio down. But if one could imagine their biggest fears, it would be complete rejection of the movie, by the fans. What I’ve realized over the last week is I won’t necessarily get good reviews for this movie. Having swallowed that, this was made for the fans, and if you don’t get it, »
- Craig Sharp
'New Moon' director Chris Weitz: 'This was made for the fans'
24 November 2009 1:00 PM, PST | EW.com - PopWatch | See recent EW.com - PopWatch news »
Chris Weitz just joined the ranks of a very select group of directors such as Chris Nolan and Sam Raimi who have opened their films above the $100 million mark. The news is sweet revenge for a man who had his last film The Golden Compass complete re-cut by his previous studio bosses. Check out our Q&A with Weitz where he reveals his favorite cast moments and how he's dealt with the fan adoration and the paparazzi intrusion. Entertainment Weekly: What was your biggest fear going into weekend? Chris Weitz: I didn’t have any particular fears. The tracking »
- Nicole Sperling
Check Out The Wolf Pack – New Moon Stills
24 November 2009 11:57 AM, PST | FilmShaft.com | See recent FilmShaft.com news »
For those of you who have yet to see this year’s most talked about film – The Twilight Saga: New Moon, how about a few new film stills to beat those Winter blues? Courtesy of MTV, the new images feature a much closer look at Taylor Lautner and the rest of The Wolf Pack in canine form.
As well as the new VFX shots below, MTV were also lucky enough to talk to the man responsible for our furry friends, along with some of the industry’s most groundbreaking films including “Star Wars” and “Jurassic Park,” visual-effects maestro Phil Tippett:
MTV: You worked on Chris Weitz’s “The Golden Compass.” So, did he just call you up and ask you to do “New Moon” as well?
Tippett: No, actually we didn’t deal with Chris that much. We were involved in “The Golden Compass,” then everything came our way »
- Craig Sharp
The Blog Saga: New Link
24 November 2009 7:00 AM, PST | FilmExperience | See recent FilmExperience news »
Movies Kick Ass deconstructs yet another photoshop casualty (i.e. movie poster), this one for Nine . My thoughts on that film will hopefully be up later today... time is a tough taskmaster.
Cinema Styles looks forward to Luise Rainer's 100th birthday in January. We should all be celebrating! Especially since she'll (god willing) still be alive for it. She was Oscar's very first two-time acting winner... beating Spencer Tracy to the title by one year.
Topless Robot Batman's TV villains who should make the leap to the screen
Scanners (sarcastically) hates on ambiguous movie endings
Empire keeps track of Thor's ever expanding cast list so you don't have to. The only person this chart is missing (as far as I know) is Kat Dennings (Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist)
In Contention looks at the Adapted Screenplay Oscar race
Noh Way expresses photographic love for director/muse duos beyond Pedro & Penélope
Sexiest Men Alive? »
- NATHANIEL R
'New Moon' Director Signs Up for 'The Gardener'
23 November 2009 1:38 PM, PST | GetTheBigPicture.net | See recent Get The Big Picture news »
Not surprisingly, New Moon director Chris Weitz is going right back to work for Summit on his follow-up, The Gardener. "There are no werewolves or vampires, just a Mexican gardener in Los Angeles," Weitz told Variety, thereby stripping a cozy $120 million away from his opening weekend.
The film is about the life of an immigrant and his son who live in Los Angeles, written by Eric Eason. I don't know how closely it will mirror 2007's La Misma Luna, but that's an excellent film on the same subject.
Weitz also took the time to refute claims that The Gardener would be his last film, that he was planning on leaving that side of the industry after the treatment he received from New Line while making The Golden Compass. Weitz says he has no plans to stop directing but did acknowledge how rough the Compass experience was, claiming that the film »
- Colin Boyd
'New Moon' director Chris Weitz Not Retiring
23 November 2009 11:42 AM, PST | Fandango | See recent Fandango news »
Twi-hards, you can breathe a sigh of relief. New Moon director Chris Weitz isn't leaving the world of cinema just yet. Rumors that he's retiring after directing The Gardener hit the mill last week with an interview with Moviemaker Magazine. In his recent interview with Variety, he dispelled those rumors, saying his New Moon experience "reinvigorated" him after the rough treatment he got from The Golden Compass. "This was a wonderful experience by comparison. I got to work with terrific young actors at the top of their game, and see Taylor Lautner perform so well." That's awesome news for the Twi-verse, since its legion of fans that saw the film over the record-breaking weekend liked it so much they went back for multiple viewings! Sure, we can see...
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- affiliates@fandango.com
Box Office: Fangirls Fuel A Record Breaking Weekend For ‘New Moon’
23 November 2009 8:00 AM, PST | The Flickcast | See recent The Flickcast news »
Last week I mentally predicted that New Moon would come in around the $80 Million mark. Obviously, there is a reason that I am not in the business of box office predictions. New Moon grossed over $140 Million during its opening weekend, and broke a few records along the way. Fangirls (and a few fanboys) showed that they are an emerging force to be reckoned with, as New Moon ($72.7 Million) broke the opening day record previously held by The Dark Knight ($67.2 Million.)
According to Entertainment Weekly, over 80% of the ticket sales were from women, a truly rare occurrence. Although the film was critically drummed, (currently 29% on Rotten Tomatoes) audiences gave it an A- cinemascore, indicating that they were very happy with the film. The film opened on a massive 4,000+ screens, and averaged over $34,900 per screen. There was a drop off from Friday to Saturday of about 40%.
Also of note: New Moon now »
- Shannon Hood
Chris Weitz Blames New Line For 'The Golden Compass' -- Do You?
23 November 2009 7:33 AM, PST | Cinematical | See recent Cinematical news »
Now rolling in New Moon millions, Chris Weitz is being more open about his troubles with New Line and The Golden Compass, a film that sank one studio and sent him into a tailspin. Rumors abounded as to what went wrong on that film, and as recently as last week, New York's Page Six was claiming that residual stress was causing him to leave the industry.
Weitz denied any such thing to Variety, and announced he was leaving the world of the supernatural behind with his next film, The Gardener. The film centers around a hard working Mexican gardener and his efforts to protect his son, and Weitz will be making it alongside his new best friends forever, Summit Entertainment. His new friendship enabled him to take a parting shot at New Line. Weitz praises Summit and Stephenie Meyer for trusting him with New Moon, an experience that was the »
- Elisabeth Rappe
2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2004
1-20 of 310 articles from 2009 « Prev | Next »
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