Nicole Kidman's "Golden Compass" Flops Early On

"The Golden Compass" proved a mild fantasy at the box office, pulling in $26.1 million, a modest opening weekend compared to such recent December heavyweights as "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Chronicles of Narnia" flicks.

New Line Cinema's "The Golden Compass," whose cast includes Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, also took in $55 million overseas since it began opening last Wednesday in 25 other countries.

Disney's "Enchanted," the No. 1 movie the previous two weekends, fell to second-place with $10.7 million, raising its total to $83.9 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

New Line, which had enormous success with its three "Lord of the Rings" films, had hoped for more out of "The Golden Compass," expecting it to reach at least $30 million domestically over its first weekend, said Rolf Mittweg, the studio's marketing chief. The film cost $180 million to make.

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Comments

[WEPinAR]

First of all, how is this "Nicole Kidman's Golden Compass"? Sure she stars in it (as does several other "big" stars), but did she also produce and direct it? Secondly, how has the film flopped? It's been out two days and was the number one film of the weekend. I'm afraid this is yet another hysterical misleading headline created by whoever creates the hysterical misleading headlines at Huffpost.

[protagonia]

Sam Elliot is great as well. His Big Lubowski cowboy-poet character, but with loads of action AND wisely chosen battles to win.

[shengirl]

Factor in, too, the terrible weather over much of the country since Friday-- snow storms, ice, rain, mud--that no doubt cut into ticket sales in large areas of the country. I haven't seen the movie but who knows, maybe it will have better staying power than the flash-boom-fizz of computer epics like "300" and "Beowulf". Especially as the holidays approach and more kids are out of school.

[NotaBeliever]

Pegging this flick as a flop in the HuffPo headline is yet another example of HuffPo headline mishaps. If it's supposed to come in at #1 for the weekend, that doesn't sound like a flop. It's just not going to make its projections. Big deal. I haven't seen it yet, but I will. I even ordered the books it is based on. Around here, people aren't leaving their houses because of the ice storm. Time will tell if this flick is a flop ... not some bored HuffPo headline writer.

[tinkaboutit]

How is the number one movie a flop?

I saw it yesterday-it was awesome. I really dig the little girl. Nicole Kidman was good too, but she's always good.

[kindofblue]

My family (wife, two kids, 13 and 11) and I saw the movie yesterday. Wife loved it, kids more conflicted. Consensus-the books are terrific, extremely well written and quite probably profound. The movie visuals were wonderfully executed, the actors excellent, but the story had a rushed quality. It may turn out to be a very good adaptation on reflection, however. It is, after all, a completely different medium.

Lots of dogmatic suppression tactics of the film here in Indiana, but interestingly, they parallel the church's actions in the book so neatly that they are likely to backfire and further expose the crude theocratic substructure and shear off the thinkers from the dogmatists.

[mamacat]

What I have been able to find out is this:
the U.S. Conference of Bishops has given the film good reviews. They are pretty much the mainstream Catholic people.
A splinter group, calling itself the Catholic League, is condemning the movie, on religious grounds.
So, there is controversy. It seems to me that a movie that evokes controversy may actually be worth seeing, if just for curiosity's sake.
I intend to see the movie soon, but based on the previews, I suspect the tempest will be confined to a teapot.

[gevan]

I may be a sucker for little freckly girls with reddish hair, but I was emotionaly engaged by this movie. Although Ms. Kidman is as icely frightening as anyone who was married to the very strange Tom Cruise could be, it is newcomer Dakota Blue Richards' (as Lyra) film all the way. Who knew that one could care about armoured fighting polar bears? I thought the art and architecture was intriguing and the role of the world church devolved to a more generic governmental body interested in power and control. I'd buy the DVD when it comes and hope they WILL make the sequel.

[TashaG]

I enjoyed the film. The anti-religion stuff was quite muted. It was mostly anti-authoritarian in sound. The little girl who played the lead was quite engaging, and the story was fun. Much better than the other crap that has come out this year.

[JZC]

I, unlike seemingly everyone else who has posted so far, have actually SEEN the film. And it was bad. Long scenes of clumsy exposition, horrible pacing, and wooden SFX that were hardly worth 180 mil. Many of the story problems started with the books, where Pullman skims ideas rather than exploring them. I've got no beef with the atheism, I just wish the stories were better told and the film better made.

Also estimates based only on Friday should probably be ignored- too much guessing. And 30 mil opening weekend isn't bad. It should last a bit longer (as a Family film at Xmas) so it should make at least 100m domestically. Add foreign take and DVD and you've got at least a break even film.

[999theantiantichrist]

Oh yeah... and I didn't see one lick (sorry) of pedophilia in the movie so I don't know how the American AlCatholic League can claim that the movie is anti-Catholic.

[CologneCitizen]

Right wing christian nuts are a threat to the inner safety of America as they constantly insult the intelligence with their medieval views. These views are especially dangerours for children. At this early age they don't know better and are indoctrinated with bullshit that could scar them for a lifetime.

[999theantiantichrist]

I saw the movie today and I LOVED it. I am all for questioning authority. That is what Americans are supposedly all about... you know rugged individualism and all?
An HOW ANTI CHRISTIAN for that evil little girl in the movie to go and put her life in danger to save a group of children from being separated from their souls by a group of authoritarian Nazi like people.... Yes... come to think of it that is pretty anti-christian...hmmmmm

[Mister Ruben]

I am thrilled to pieces it bombed just like all the anti America war movies. Yep, chalk one up for The Almighty Father. The film is completely anti Christian religion. Read the book...the source material and you'll know. Hurrah!!!!

[ndem]

I went with friends and our kids to see this last night here in central Paris and the cinema was full, lines outside for the next screening and we loved it! Great special effects and shots of Norway!