54 Responses to “Box Office: Golden Compass disaster! Juno a record-breaker!”

1. 
   Sean Says:
   

   December 8th, 2007 at 7:21 pm

   It’s a celebration. Hooray for Catholics!

2. 
   Clarence Somerset Says:
   

   December 8th, 2007 at 8:12 pm

   Truly a surprise. Has lethargy for fantasy films finally set in? Or was the film not marketed sufficiently?

   I think Golden Compass should have legs for the long run. Let’s not forget LOTR started off rather modestly too…

   Still, the BO is a surprise!

3. 
   Hellen Says:
   

   December 8th, 2007 at 11:22 pm

   Wow! Predictions for Golden Compass were upwards of 50M. The studio downplayed expectations and put out a “conservative” estimate of 35M to 40M. For the real boxoffice to return 27M? Holy Shit! Nobody expected a bomb like this.

   Nikki Finke thinks the studio’s chairman will get fired over this. Maybe it’s karma for screwing over Peter Jackson and yet using LotR in ads to sell the new franchise that they hoped would replace LotR.

4. 
   B e n - A Says:
   

   December 8th, 2007 at 11:47 pm

   I agree with the above as such, however LOTR had the benefit of it actually being a great film. Golden Compass looks like it’s retreading in LOTR’s footsteps, with not much imagination.

   Hope it does do well either way, some breathing space in development and a bit more risk in the adaptation could pay off.

5. 
   TheDohDoh Says:
   

   December 9th, 2007 at 12:48 am

   Honestly, this is one of those films that you can predict will flop just looking at the stupid poster. Kids DO NOT care about Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig posing, unless they have on elaborate costumes and are shown frozen-stiff. If this was a soap opera going after cheesy college girls, maybe, but not a friggin $250 million budgeted fantasy.

   Also, four words: Don’t mess with Catholics.

   With the current political climate, it was a no-brainer not to greenlight a children’s franchise based on books with well known anti-religious undertones. Fox News lives for that, and even if parents aren’t religious, all of the reports will make them avoid the flick in theaters. Also, to release said movie at CHRISTMAS TIME is absolutely brain dead. __/\_/\________ = New Line

   Bob Shaye should have just poured $100 million into his Last Mimzy and been done with it. Hollywood really needs a show like that “Crazy Money” thing where some bald smart guy yells his fukking lungs out about posters, trailers and green lights.

6. 
   TheDohDoh Says:
   

   December 9th, 2007 at 12:55 am

   correction: not shown frozen stiff

7. 
   Nathaniel Says:
   

   December 9th, 2007 at 2:13 am

   For the record, I do want to see The Golden Compass and hope it succeeds, but this was not the weekend for me… too much homework, plus I’m in a play. I think if they let it run a few weeks, it’ll pick up.

8. 
   cinemo Says:
   

   December 9th, 2007 at 2:46 am

   now if they would have only pushed the ‘polar bear in armor’ angle… they would’ve been all set.

9. 
   Jon Says:
   

   December 9th, 2007 at 5:36 am

   Maybe it was the anti-God theme of all the books…..

   Glad it is a bomb, now they won’t be able to make a 2nd or 3rd.

10. 
    trans Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 5:58 am

    I saw it last night. It was pretty good. But the problem is, it was pretty good. To get over the hump of the negative press coming from the fox (ironic) and the catholic church it needed to be great. also, they advertised this movie poorly. from the tv ads i really could not tell it was made-for-kids film.

11. 
    FMW Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 6:07 am

    It wasn’t because of the anti-religion, anti-totalitarian allegory. It’s because the film was crap.

    I went and watched it a few days ago. A truly nonsensical attempt at a movie. New Line obviously thought they could replicate the success of LOTR by throwing lots of money (and hiring some of the same actors) at a ‘trilogy.’

    It is one of those films where you find yourself constantly asking more and more questions and trying to figure out what is going on. How did the girl learn to read the compass all of a sudden? Nicole Kidman looked crap and old, Christopher Lee was only in it for 20 seconds, same with Daniel Craig. Why wasn’t the girl freaked out by being in such a harsh environment? F*cking witch army? Where did they come from? What’s Dust? Who gives a sh*t?

    I hope New Line go broke because of this. Pathetic attempt at fleecing the paying viewers. Tell you what, if someone offered it on dvd to me for free, I wouldn’t take it.

12. 
    Micah Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 6:19 am

    Is it really anti-god? Man, now i have to go see it!

13. 
    docidu Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 7:25 am

    Wow…sorry to hear they screwed up the film…the books were rather briliant and well thought out for being targeted at a youth audience… its too bad that this country is stuck in the dark ages of being ruled by imaganary beings in the sky who will punish you for not worshiping them… meh…we really need to grow up as a species…and if they didnt destroy the underpinnings in this series..that raqther exactally what its all about… mabey the backwards rednecks that populate this failing nation just arnt ready for it…

14. 
    docidu Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 7:30 am

    ack, no edit button…grammer-stazi please ignore…

15. 
    What questions? Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 7:43 am

    “How did the girl learn to read the compass all of a sudden?”

    - It’s fucking simple logic - each symbol represents a terminology (”cauldron could represent a ‘plan’ - obviously based on witches brewing up spells for the PURPOSE or PLAN of cursing someone…watch Snow White and you’ll get it); all the compass does is essentially googles an answer based on meta tags (the symbols). Why three symbols? Narrowing your search using three meta tags is easier than with just one.

    “F*cking witch army? Where did they come from?”

    - From their witch hideouts obviously. Perhaps it would have been best for you to just take it in stride, knowing that you’re watching a FANTASY movie - fighting polar bears, magical dust? Come on - you honestly feel the need to ask where witches come from?

    “Why wasn’t the girl freaked out by being in such a harsh environment?”

    - a) I guess it’s because some people are just stupid.

    “What’s Dust? Who gives a sh*t?”

16. 
    infrequent moviegoer Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 7:53 am

    I just saw it. Loved the books but the film went flat for me.
    Great visuals and effects but this film is too mechanical as it methodically checks off too few parts of the story to feel right.
    I saw Phillip Pullman’s theatre version of it in London and it was fantastic.
    Too bad, i had great hopes.

17. 
    FMW Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 8:45 am

    No I’m not talking about using the symbols, I’m talking about the art direction, and if it’s so fucking logical why can’t anyone else read the bloody thing?

    Logic my arse.

    None of the characters were introduced properly. ‘Infrequent moviegoer’ got it right. It feels rushed and incomplete, even knowing it’s part of a trilogy.

    Just because it’s a fantasy film doesn’t mean you suspend all thinking and accept whatever bad rubbish is put on the screen.

    Talk about lowest common denominator…

18. 
    Sean Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 8:52 am

    HELLO!
    Producers… you want something to earn as much as Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter? Then you better have a book behind it that is as popular as those two!

    Those two books have TONS of FANS, hence TONS of FANS who want to see the MOVIES.

    Golden Compass has fans, but certainly not as many. Heck I didn’t even know it existed until the first trailer came out. And I had to FORCE myself to finish the 3rd book.

    DID THE Producers READ THE BOOK?
    The book, although some good writing, leaves the reader’s emotions in dissonance, at the very end, as what was thought to be a “good” character kills another “good” character, and in the sequel you’re asked to cheer the goal of killing the Authority (i.e. God).
    Hmm… seems Pullman is going to lose fans as much as he gains them, so why would you think a MOVIE based on this is going to do nothing but DRAW fans?

    ALSO, its PG-13… HELLO, if you want KIDS to go see a movie, make it G or PG. Not every parent is willing to drag their child into a movie full of killing and blood. Heck many of us are waiting for the Narnia books on DVD and filtering out the fights; and the Narnia books have a way larger readership than Pullman’s.

    Seems like it was more crappy Hollywood executive decisions.
    Of course nobody penalizes executives, they’ll still walk away with their millions and get someone else to believe in them.

19. 
    oh really? Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 8:55 am

    How can the Lord of the Rings movies be included in a list of family movies? Must be families with kids over 13 as those movies were chock full-o-violence. You don’t take a 7 year old to see hacking and slashing. I’m sure some outstanding parents did though.

20. 
    Clarence Somerset Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 10:57 am

    I recall being turned off by the first teasers of TGC … which began “From the people who took you to Middle Earth…” That was the wrong tone to strike, I thought - to turn TGC into a kind of LOTR sequel.

21. 
    zbeast Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 11:08 am

    I thought it was a good film with a very slow start.
    It would be better enjoyed by those who have read the books.
    Which I’ve never heard of until the movie.
    My only hope is that it does get enough traction so that
    The other 2 films can be made.

22. 
    Kyle Stebbins Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 11:33 am

    “Honestly, this is one of those films that you can predict will flop just looking at the stupid poster. Kids DO NOT care about Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig posing, unless they have on elaborate costumes and are shown frozen-stiff. If this was a soap opera going after cheesy college girls, maybe, but not a friggin $250 million budgeted fantasy.

    Also, four words: Don’t mess with Catholics.

    With the current political climate, it was a no-brainer not to greenlight a children’s franchise based on books with well known anti-religious undertones. Fox News lives for that, and even if parents aren’t religious, all of the reports will make them avoid the flick in theaters. Also, to release said movie at CHRISTMAS TIME is absolutely brain dead. __/\_/\________ = New Line

    Bob Shaye should have just poured $100 million into his Last Mimzy and been done with it. Hollywood really needs a show like that “Crazy Money” thing where some bald smart guy yells his fukking lungs out about posters, trailers and green lights.”

    — I’m going to second everything said above. It’s the catholic boycott that hindered this film’s release success. christmas time is the worst time to put out a film that has anti-religious undertones. although a significant portion of my anger is directed TOWARDS the catholics who actually AVOIDED seeing this film. how can you truly progress in your understanding of our world if you completely SHUT YOURSELF OFF from all angles.

    I was a catholic for 18 years before I hit some pretty serious revelations about the “one true faith”. I’m going to go see The Golden Compass next week, and I plan to internalize what needs to be internalized. word.

23. 
    jon Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 11:54 am

    I think it’s important to recognize the weather this weekend. Much of the country from Utah to New York has been covered by a massive winter storm, mostly ice. Really puts a damper on driving to a theater.

24. 
    MovieFan Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 12:10 pm

    I have to disagree with z beast when he said, “It would be better enjoyed by those who have read the books.” Although I must admit that I never heard of the series before I saw the movie trailer, I read the books and I actually enjoyed them, so I was invested in the characters even before I saw the movie. However, I the movie did not encourage or even enforce this initial “investment” that was already in place. They changed too much and I found myself too frustrated with the poor adaptation to even care about the same characters that I had grown to love from reading the book. This was obviously not as careful an adaptation as the LOTR trilogy. With Peter Jackson at the helm, a fan himself with an uncompromising vision, the LOTR films stand as one of the best trilogies in cinema history. However, TGC definitely lacked the same vision and it definitely shows in the end product. Instead, TGC movie is only the gist of the original novel as opposed to the a faithful representation of its spirit, which was not so much anti-God as it was pro-free-will.

25. 
    TheDohDoh Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 1:51 pm

    Even the Americans who are not religious would rather stay home and save money for presents while watching “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” for the gazillionth time than take the family to see a PG-13 kid’s movie with unlikable/British stars that is rumored to question God/Christ at Christmas time. = Common Freakin’ Sense

    Five Words: Coca Cola Bears The Movie

    Thanks for the agreement, Kyle.

    Hopefully, “Religuosity” is rated PG-13, so the teens can go decide for themselves minus the Coca Cola Bears decked out in armor and licking their box office wounds.

26. 
    Jax Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 3:15 pm

    What game are the blaming this on: Rock Band?

27. 
    Raul Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 5:53 pm

    Say bye to the sequels of The Golden Compass….

28. 
    sceptic Says:
    

    December 9th, 2007 at 11:37 pm

    A bit premature in crowing failure I think.

    CNN says it is NUMBER ONE at the BOX OFFFICE, 26 million

29. 
    Diglot Says:
    

    December 10th, 2007 at 12:46 am

    Sorry to disappoint the religious crowd but the movie actually grossed nearly half its cost worldwide on its first weekend!

30. 
    Peter Sciretta Says:
    

    December 10th, 2007 at 1:09 am

    Diglot,

    People don’t seem to understand where the money goes. For instance: New Line is claiming 200 million budget, but industry insiders say its higher. around $250 million. Okay, now the marketing, press, and advertising for this movie was huge. Add $60-$80 in P&A and we got a total investment of over $315 million. Movie theaters keep roughly 50% of the ticket price, so a movie that cost $300 million needs to make at least $630 million worldwide after home video to break even. Also note that the studio is not happy with breaking even. Superman Returns more than broke even, but Warner Bros is still iffy on a sequel.

31. 
    Peter Sciretta Says:
    

    December 10th, 2007 at 1:13 am

    Plus I just learned that New Line sold the international distribution rights for who knows how much. But what this means is that the internetaional numbers don’t mean as much as the domestic to the studio.

32. 
    David Says:
    

    December 10th, 2007 at 5:57 am

    Don’t know why comments point out only Catholics as the critics of The Golden Compass. In fact down here in South America they haven’t even touched on the subject (mainly because they know people won’t give crap about what they say).

    It’s the large American Protestantism (evangelics, etc. etc.) that drive people off the cinema. Catholics are still a minority there. Just wait till Mexicans take over though, LOL.

    Cheers,
    David

33. 
    Mary McKenna Says:
    

    December 10th, 2007 at 8:19 am

    It doesn’t matter how good “The Golden Compass” is, in fact it could technically be the best movie and most interesting story of all time, but as long as it defies our church it needs to be stamped out! Free speech goes too far when a movie is allowed to question the church, The Golden Compass should have been banned and every single copy destroyed. Only movies that meet our churches standards should be allowed to be released or talked about, because people talking about a movie that is against our church is just as bad as people watching it.

    So make sure you do not watch The Golden Compass, it goes too far for even suggesting that people question the church and our god. It should be banned forever and Philip Pullman should be thrown in jail.

34. 
    Amanda Says:
    

    December 10th, 2007 at 8:54 am

    People keep complaining that the characters are flat, distant, and cold, but that is how it is in the book! Unless you want the movie to radically change up the characters, there was nothing the director could do about that. If the movie had changed the characters to make them likable, people would be complaining about that! The movie just can’t win. So, quit complaining about the characters.

35. 
    Yuriko Says:
    

    December 11th, 2007 at 7:53 am

    It was disappointing…

    Pullman even claims LOTR wasn’t as good as what he can come up.

    It’s funny cos his books wasn’t as great as LOTR.

    All the more the movie was crap.

    Stick to “your precious”.

36. 
    The Loki Myth Says:
    

    December 12th, 2007 at 2:54 pm

    After reading the books just a week ago, with them fresh in my mind. It is quite a disapointment. New line has no balls left. The move should have been at least 2 and a half hours long for the first book. insted it was cut up so badly, that if you havn’t read the book, you wont understand it right. What a waisted opertunity!

37. 
    Frank Says:
    

    December 13th, 2007 at 5:40 am

    I’ve seen the movie last night, and I fully enjoyed it. Contrary to what I had read before in other places, the story was easy to follow, it made sense for a fantasy movie. The effects were some of the best I’ve seen (and I’ve seen a lot!). Lyra, the main character, was a nice departure from the typical kid actors, with her being upfront about things, and brave, and, above all, quite sassy.
    I am not a religious person, but having read beforehand about how the movie “defies” the church, I must say: sorry, but I just didn’t see the connection. As far as I could tell, there is absolutely nothing religious in the movie. It’s just an organization that “rules” its people and tells them what to do and what to not do. I see more parallels to a political dictatorship than the church.
    Then again, I’ve read none of the books, so the real ‘religion bashing’ might come just later on.

    I’m a sucker for series, so I really hope there will be some form of sequel. If this was the introduction of characters (which often is done in the first book of a series), then I can’t imagine the amazing stuff that is to follow.

    PS: If you find spelling errors, you can keep’em :D

38. 
    Stanton Says:
    

    December 14th, 2007 at 1:01 am

    ORIGINAL QUOTE:

    “Mary McKenna Says:
    December 10th, 2007 at 8:19 am

    It doesn’t matter how good “The Golden Compass” is, in fact it could technically be the best movie and most interesting story of all time, but as long as it defies our church it needs to be stamped out! Free speech goes too far when a movie is allowed to question the church, The Golden Compass should have been banned and every single copy destroyed. Only movies that meet our churches standards should be allowed to be released or talked about, because people talking about a movie that is against our church is just as bad as people watching it.

    So make sure you do not watch The Golden Compass, it goes too far for even suggesting that people question the church and our god. It should be banned forever and Philip Pullman should be thrown in jail.”

    Mary, I hate to say it, but you should not be an American citizen if you think like this. You think we should ban something because it questions the church? I hope you realize faith is just something for people to believe in. It’s an excuse to live, it gives us some sort of motive, and answer to why we should stay alive. It keeps you content with your life. If you think people should not be allowed to talk about going against a god, then I just don’t understand what puritanical beliefs you have. I’m agnostic, I’m alive right now, and I’m going to die, just like you. You don’t need to worry about this. If people watch it and decide to let a fantasy influence them enough to rebel against religion, then so be it, it’ll make more room for you in your heaven.

    Free speech is one of the most important rights we have in America, and if you think this movie passes the line of free speech, then perhaps you shouldn’t have any other rights you should enjoy..

    Chronicles of Narnia books are wonderful, they are completely and utterly all about God and Christianity, but I don’t tell people they should never read the books or see the movies. I wish that one day you’ll realize it isn’t good to think like that. Let people think for themselves, instead of ignoring other possibilities and being stubborn, for fear of actually being convinced enough to think for yourself.

39. 
    Bob Says:
    

    December 17th, 2007 at 12:06 pm

    Stanton,

    Uhhh… I think maybe Mary was being “sarcastical”…

    I’m a Christian, and I do have a personal issue with a movie based on a “children’s book” that attempts to “undermine the basis of Christian belief”, according to Pullman. Now, I have no desire to ban or otherwise censor anyone. However, I think parents should have the right to have all the information about a movie available to them, especially if there is one that might be counter to the belief system they are trying to instill in their kids. I have no problem at all with atheist parents getting information beforehand that Narnia is based on Christian books, and keeping their kids away.

    Ultimately, the marketplace will decide.

40. 
    Frank Says:
    

    December 17th, 2007 at 2:58 pm

    in my opinion a 13 year old child (or older) should be allowed to decide for himself whether he/she wants to see a movie with a critical view on their beliefs. Trying to “instill a belief” is the wrong thing to do in the first place.

41. 
    Stanton Says:
    

    December 17th, 2007 at 6:15 pm

    I agree with Frank. People should be able to decide their entire lives which “beliefs” they have, because beliefs actually should come from one’s self rather than someone trying to instill them in you. I’m not sure the appropriate age that someone should be before they can decide for themselves, but I don’t believe they should be pushed into something they don’t choose for themselves.

42. 
    Grumman Says:
    

    December 19th, 2007 at 11:05 am

    New Line executives are to blame for this flop. They washed down the story from its original context, fearing the wrath of the religious people, which they got nevertheless, and simultaneously they enraged the fans of the story, which were the natural audience for it. Then they cut the ending of the book, leaving the story lame. They literally shot their own foot.

    On the other hand, maybe this story wasn’t meant for a commercialy oriented film.

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