Colin Farrell Cites "The Golden Compass" For Wrecking New Line

Colin Farrell is out right now doing press for "In Bruges," a darkly comic tale of two hit men exiled to the Belgian city of canals after a job gone wrong. The film opens Friday, but wasn't the only project on his mind.

During Monday's New York junket at the Regency Hotel, Farrell was asked about his other recent films including Woody Allen's current "Cassandra's Dream" and the endlessly upcoming "Pride and Glory," a gritty cop tale filmed in 2006. So what's to blame for the film's problems? The Nicole Kidman flop "The Golden Compass."

Farrell, who alternatively sipped from and ashed into a cup of water on the table in front of him, pointedly spoke to 'Pride and Glory's" holding pattern.

"They pushed it just now to 2009. [A reporter starts to speak, Farrell interrupts] I was going to say it's not because, there's this rumor going around that it's because it's a mess or it's a really bad film.

I feel the need to kind of speak up, not from my own end but genuinely for Gavin O'Connor because he wrote and directed it.

It's just a really really strong piece, but I think New Line lost the bollocks on "The Golden Compass," you know love, and they literally don't have enough money to market things.

"Pride" is a tricky one to market anyways. It's pretty dark... I've seen it. Gavin did a great job and you know, Jon Voight is brilliant in it, and Ed [Norton] is great in it and a really strong cast of supporting characters... It's a really strong piece."

So there you go. "Pride and Glory" is fantastic, the problem is that "The Golden Compass" was not. Farrell also had plenty to say about the joys of making "Bruges," more of which is to come.

Comments

[TakLoufer]

They may have overspent on advertising it here in the narrow-minded states (not to mention foolishly releasing it just before the holiest of Christian holidays when it was sure to be verboten via millions of pulpits across the country) but Golden Compass raked in the bucks throughout Europe. More likely reason why Farrell's flick has been shelved is due to his own lack of bankability. When is the last time this cat had a blockbuster in the US?

[WEPinAR]

Uhmmm, "The Golden Compass" is the 13th largest grossing movie of 2007 worldwide at 326 million dollars (and counting).­.. how is that a "flop"?
(see boxofficemojo for source)

[desertdweller]

And how many times did he use the F-word during that interview? The guy has no class.

[FranklinS]

"Golden Compass" is a superb film.

[tinkaboutit]

i just read this article and none of it made any sense. It appears to be yet another Nicole smear. Hey Arianna..W­hat's your problem with Nicole?