The Golden Compass, based on the first book in Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, was released in 2007 to mixed reviews. While the fantasy adventure film grossed over $372 million worldwide, it was considered a box office disappointment in the US. So why didn’t New Line Cinema greenlight a sequel?
What happened with The Golden Compass?
The Golden Compass had a tumultuous journey to the big screen. New Line Cinema acquired the rights to Pullman’s book series in 2002, hoping to replicate the success of their Lord of the Rings trilogy. Chris Weitz was hired to direct, and the original plan was to split the first book into two movies. This was later scrapped in favor of condensing The Golden Compass into one film.
With a budget between $150-180 million, The Golden Compass boasted an all-star cast including Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and newcomer Dakota Blue Richards as protagonist Lyra Belacqua. But when it hit theaters in December 2007, reviews were lukewarm. Critics praised the visuals but felt the story lacked cohesion and heart. The film earned only $70 million in North America.
Why did The Golden Compass underperform in the US?
There are several factors that contributed to the film’s disappointing US box office:
- Source material not well known – His Dark Materials was popular in the UK but the books had not achieved mainstream success in America.
- Religious controversy – The story’s critical portrayal of religion turned off some audiences. The Catholic League called for a boycott.
- Little appeal to kids – Despite the fantasy premise, the mature themes and complicated plot made the film less accessible for families.
- Too much cut out – Fans criticized the movie for omitting and changing key scenes from the book.
- Released too late – Opening right before Christmas with little marketing didn’t help build momentum.
The Golden Compass was simply not poised to be a blockbuster hit stateside. But the studio had been banking on massive worldwide grosses, which it ultimately fell short of. With lackluster critical reception and US numbers, New Line Cinema got cold feet about greenlighting a sequel.
What factors killed plans for a sequel?
In 2008, New Line said that plans for continuing the series depended on the global box office. Despite its worldwide gross, The Golden Compass was still seen as a financial failure. Other major factors in not moving forward included:
- Rising production costs – The budget was already high and the sequels would be more complex and expensive to film.
- Uncertainty about audience interest – The first film’s mediocre reception didn’t bode well for future installments.
- Religious controversy – Ongoing backlash presented marketing challenges.
- Corporate shake-up – New Line Cinema’s merger with Warner Bros introduced more oversight.
In the end, the risks outweighed the potential rewards. New Line judged that a sequel would not be profitable enough to justify the investment. Without a strong financial incentive, the studio decided to cut their losses and move on.
How did the cast and crew feel about it?
Those involved with The Golden Compass were disappointed the sequels got cancelled. Here are some reactions:
- Nicole Kidman (Mrs. Coulter): “I’m frustrated the next two films didn’t happen.”
- Dakota Blue Richards (Lyra): “It was sad because we thought we were gonna get to do the next two chapters.”
- Chris Weitz (director): “I was very disappointed that the producers and New Line felt that the movie didn’t do well enough to warrant a sequel.”
- Philip Pullman (author): “The first film had more weaknesses than strengths…I was perfectly happy to let it go.”
The cast had signed multi-film deals, so they missed out on reprising their roles. Pullman was not pleased with the movie adaptation but still wanted to see the rest of the story told. For many involved, not completing the trilogy felt like an unfinished journey.
Could the sequels still happen someday?
While New Line Cinema killed plans for a direct sequel, the studio didn’t necessarily permanently shelve the franchise. There were rumors in 2009 that an HBO miniseries might be an option to continue the story. Pullman said he was open to a television adaptation if done right. But this also ultimately didn’t get off the ground.
Over a decade later, fans still ardently want to see the His Dark Materials saga in its entirety. With multi-season fantasy series thriving thanks to streaming services like Netflix and HBO Max, many see this platform as ideal for the sprawling trilogy. The technology finally exists to truly do the books justice. Perhaps if The Golden Compass found success today the way Game of Thrones later did, a fully finished adaptation could live up to Pullman’s vision. So while firm sequel plans remain on ice, some still hold out hope that we haven’t seen the last of Lyra on screen.
Conclusion
The Golden Compass had the makings of a hit franchise, but ultimately couldn’t recoup its high costs despite worldwide gross. Controversy, poor reception, and corporate restructuring all played roles in sinking prospects for a sequel. While disappointing for fans, the financial risk was too great. But with fantasy series thriving today, maybe the timing could be right in the future for Lyra’s full journey to be realized. The mystical world of His Dark Materials still awaits further exploration on screen.