History Trivia / TheGoldenCompass

* AllStarCast: Featuring a cast of stars such as Creator/NicoleKidman, Creator/DanielCraig, Creator/JimCarter, Sam Elliot and Creator/EvaGreen (although more famous nowadays, she had just come to prominence with ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'' and ''Film/KingdomOfHeaven''). The daemons are also voiced by Creator/FreddieHighmore (enjoying a very high profile thanks to ''Film/FindingNeverland'' and ''Film/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory''), Kristen Scott-Thomas, and Kathy Bates. And of course Creator/IanMcKellen and Creator/IanMcShane voicing the armoured bears. Creator/ChristopherLee also appears in a small role. Dakota Blue Richards was on her first role as Lyra but would be more recognisable now to ''{{Series/Skins}}'' fans.

* CreatorBacklash: Creator/ChrisWeitz disowned the theatrical cut due to all the ExecutiveMeddling it went through. He especially regretted having to replace Nonso Anozie's voice as Iorek with Creator/IanMcKellen.

* BillingDisplacement: Creator/ChristopherLee is given prominent billing, yet says a grand total of one line.

* HypotheticalCasting: Creator/PhilipPullman was ecstatic when Creator/NicoleKidman was cast as Marisa Coulter, as she had been his personal favorite for the role (he had wanted Creator/JasonIsaacs as Lord Azriel, but that role went to Creator/DanielCraig). He even approved the AdaptationDyeJob - Mrs Coulter was black-haired in the book and blonde in the film - by saying "I was wrong. She has to be blonde."

** “Golden Compass" is very obviously dubbed in several scenes where the Alethiometer is mentioned. No characters say the words in shot.

* NoStuntDouble: Daniel Craig did his own stunts in the scenes at the Swiss glaciers.

** This film's failure was what resulted in ''Series/GameOfThrones''. George RR Martin had been skeptical about having his books adapted for film, and this one proved to him that it would be better suited for television.

* FakeNationality: French (with an English accent) Eva Green as a Scandinavian witch.

** Nicole Kidman is a devout Catholic playing someone who ends up rebelling against the Church.
** Eva Green plays a witch who flies through the air. In reality, she is terrified of heights, and could only do so many takes in the harness.

** This was part of a bad spell that led to Creator/NewLineCinema losing their independence, becoming a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Pictures; this also led to '''their''' subsidiaries getting crushed in the remolding of the firm. This was also the fate of Creator/ShinyEntertainment, the studio that made the game tie-in, and Creator/{{Sega}} had to abandon them to Double Helix.

** This was part of a bad spell that led to Creator/NewLineCinema losing their independence, becoming a subsidary of Warner Bros. Pictures; this also led to '''their''' subsidaries getting crushed in the remolding of the firm. This was also the fate of Creator/ShinyEntertainment, the studio that made the game tie-in, and Creator/{{Sega}} had to abandon them to Double Helix.

** Lyra’s arrival at Bolvangar was a particularly obvious offender, as again new dialogue had to be recorded to accomodate the re-ordering. The camera only shows the person who is not speaking.

** Creator/PhilipPullman had this reaction when Creator/NicoleKidman was cast as Mrs. Coulter. The character has dark hair in the books but was depicted as a blonde in the film. Pullman later admitted, "I was wrong, she has to be blonde" (Kidman had long been his personal choice for the role). Pullman has subsequently written the character as being fair-haired. The TV series however restored the dark hair.
** Eva Green was the reverse, dark-haired playing a character written as blonde. But because she is Eva Green, she is the perfect choice to portray a ethereal yet heroic witch. The TV series actually kept the dark hair this time.

* DarkHorseCasting: Dakota Blue Richards had not acted in a film when she was cast as Lyra at the age of twelve.

** "Golden Compass" is very obviously dubbed in several scenes where the Alethiometer is mentioned. No characters say the words in shot.

** The film ended up being a domestic failure, although its worldwide gross was sufficiently high enough to warrant a second. Screenplays for ''The Subtle Knife'' and ''The Amber Spyglass'' were written but, despite the film winning an Oscar for its visual effects, the 2008 recession and protests from the Catholic Church meant that they never materialized. The books ended up being rebooted as a TV series in 2019.

* LoopingLines: "Golden Compass" is very obviously dubbed in several scenes where the Alethiometer is mentioned. No characters say the words in shot.

** In post production, the studio insisted on several recuts of the film, and had several scenes re-shot and rearranged. Weitz's original cut allegedly had an entire ''hour'' of extra footage. Lyra travelling to Bolvangar, the Gobbler's Outpost and Svalbard was swapped around, so that she sees the bears first (and the original order shows up in the movie's novelization). The ending was abruptly cut and given a more uplifting climax, which happened so late in production that clips from it can be seen in the trailer and the tie-in video game. The intent was for the final three chapters to now serve as the opening to ''The Subtle Knife'''s film. This did admittedly have the approval of Philip Pullman, saying it was for the good of the film.

** Creator/PhilipPullman had this reaction when Creator/NicoleKidman was cast as Mrs. Coulter. The character has dark hair in the books but was depicted as a blonde in the film. Pullman later admitted, "I was wrong, she has to be blonde" (Kidman had long been his personal choice for the role). Pullman has subsequently written the character as being fair-haired.

* CreatorKiller: This was part of a bad spell that led to Creator/NewLineCinema losing their independence, becoming a subsidary of Warner Bros. Pictures; this also led to '''their''' subsidaries getting crushed in the remolding of the firm. This was also the fate of Creator/ShinyEntertainment, the studio that made the game tie-in, and Creator/{{Sega}} had to abandon them to Double Helix.

** The producers also demanded to replace the original voice of Iorek, a Shakespearean actor virtually unknown in Hollywood (though he's since gotten more recognition with his role as Xaro Xoan Daxos in ''Series/GameOfThrones''), with the instantly recognizable voice of Sir Creator/IanMcKellen.

* PromotedFanboy: Both Creator/DanielCraig and Dakota Blue Richards were big fans of the books.

* TroubledProduction: Mostly in the post-production stages. The studio insisted on several recuts of the film, and had several scenes re-shot and rearranged. Weitz's original cut allegedly had an entire ''hour'' of extra footage. The ending was abruptly cut and given a more uplifting climax, the intention being to open the second film with it - which of course never happened.

** Philip Pullman had this reaction when Nicole Kidman was cast as Mrs. Coulter. The character has dark hair in the books but was depicted as a blonde in the film. Pullman later admitted, "I was wrong, she has to be blonde" (Kidman had long been his personal choice for the role). Pullman has subsequently written the character as being fair-haired.

* CelebrityVoiceActor: For the daemons - Creator/FreddieHighmore as Pantalaimon, Kristin Scott Thomas as Stelmaria and Kathy Bates as Hester. Additionally Ian [=McKellen=] as Iorek and Ian [=McShane=] as Ragnar.
* CreatorBacklash: Creator/ChrisWeitz disowned the theatrical cut due to all the ExecutiveMeddling it went through. He especially regretted having to replace Nonso Anozie's voice as Iorek with Ian [=McKellen=].

** Eva Green claims she had more scenes filmed. She listed her favourite as one where Serafina flies alongside the Gyptian ship, sees Farder Corem and hides so he won't see her.

* TheOtherMarty: Different voice actors were originally chosen for Iorek and Hester, Iorek's even making it into the teaser trailer. They were recast with Creator/IanMcKellen and Kathy Bates. Earlier in production, Adam Godley was going to voice Pantalaimon, but got replaced with Freddie Highmore.
* PromotedFanboy: Both Daniel Craig and Dakota Blue Richards were big fans of the books.

* AbilityOverAppearance: Philip Pullman had this reaction when Nicole Kidman was cast as Mrs. Coulter. The character has dark hair in the books but was depicted as a blonde in the film. Pullman later admitted, "I was wrong, she has to be blonde" (Kidman had long been his personal choice for the role). Pullman has subsequently written the character as being fair-haired.

* TheOtherMarty: Different voice actors were originally chosen for Iorek and Hester, Iorek's even making it into the teaser trailer. They were recast with Creator/IanMcKellen and Kathy Bates. Earlier in production Adam Godley was going to voice Pantalaimon, but got replaced with Freddie Highmore.

** Tom Courtenay claimed his role was "cut to the bone" in editing.

* ExecutiveMeddling: The director attempted a more faithful adaptation. The money men differed. See the main page for the result.
** Replacing the original voice of Iorek, a Shakespearean actor virtually unknown in Hollywood (though he's since gotten more recognition with his role as Xaro Xoan Daxos in ''Series/GameOfThrones''), with the instantly recognizable voice of Sir Creator/IanMcKellen.

* StillbornFranchise: They were willing to make a trilogy. However, criticism from the Catholic church and middling box office return killed those plans and led to the film's ending cliffhanger becoming perpetual.
* TroubledProduction: Mostly in the post-production stages. The studio insisted on several recuts of the film, and had several scenes re-shot and rearranged. Weitz's original cut allegedly had an entire ''hour'' of extra footage. The ending was abruptly cut and given a more uplifting climax, the intention being to open the second film with it - which of course never happened.

* DisasterDominoes:
** The film [[BoxOfficeBomb bombed domestically]], Creator/NewLineCinema [[Main/CreatorKiller got absorbed into its parent company Time Warner's sister studio]] Creator/WarnerBros, which led to Warner Bros' and New Line's arthouse subsidiaries Warner Independent Pictures and Picturehouse shutting down. [[note]] The latter studio was revived in 2013, albeit not owned by Warner Bros. [[/note]] New Line largely exists today as a distribution outfit for Warner Bros produced genre films.
** Even Creator/ShinyEntertainment, who made the licensed game, wasn't safe. While their reputation had already gone down after the release of ''VideoGame/EnterTheMatrix'', the game's poor reception was more or less the final nail in the coffin. The company merged with The Collective, thus creating Double Helix Games, not too long afterward.
** This was also part of a particularly bad time for publisher Creator/{{Sega}}, who was coming off the disasterous execution of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'', which ruined that franchise's 15th anniversary celebration singlehandedly.

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: A particularly cruel KickTheDog variation. The movie bombed hard in the US, but made over $300 million worldwide. That would be impressive if [[Creator/NewLineCinema New Line]] [[Main/{{Irony}} didn't sell the worldwide rights just to get the movie funded.]]

** The Bolvanger sequence was shortened as well - footage of Lyra setting off an alarm and rounding up the other children was present, along with them [[ spoiler: witnessing her destroy the intercision machine]].

* CastingGag: Lord Asriel is played by Creator/DanielCraig, known as that generation's James Bond. In the 2003 National Theatre production, the role had been played by another former Bond - Timothy Dalton.

* ExecutiveMeddling - The director attempted a more faithful adaptation. The money men differed. See the main page for the result.

** Replacing the original voice of Iorek, a Shakespearean actor virtually unknown in Hollywood, with the instantly recognizable voice of Sir Creator/IanMcKellen.

** Portions of the original ending can be seen in the trailers and video game; one trailer includes a clip of Lyra screaming "I'm not yours. I'll never be yours!" as the ice shelf breaks.

* AbilityOverAppearance: Philip Pullman had something of a reaction like this when Nicole Kidman was cast as Mrs. Coulter in ''Film/TheGoldenCompass''. The character has black hair in the books (Kidman being blonde) and Pullman said "I was wrong, she has to be blonde", Kidman having been his personal choice for the role.

* CastingGag: Lord Asriel is played by Creator/DanielCraig, known as that generation's James Bond. In the London stage adaptation, the role had been played by another former Bond - Timothy Dalton.
* CelebrityVoiceActor: For the daemons. Creator/FreddieHighmore as Pan and Kathy Bates as Hester. Additionally Ian [=McKellen=] as Iorek.
* CreatorBacklash: Creator/ChrisWeitz disowned the final film due to all the ExecutiveMeddling it went through. He especially regretted having to replace Nonso Anonzie's voice as Iorek with Ian [=McKellen=].

** The entire ending sequence, where Lyra and Roger travel to find Lord Azriel and [[spoiler: he kills Roger to open up a portal to a new world]]. This was cut primarily to test audiences mistakenly thinking that [[spoiler: Lyra had died and was going to {{Heaven}} rather than just crossing into a new world]]. Two clips of the ending are in the trailer, and some of the sequence is included in the video game. This ending was also featured in an illustrated children's novelization of the film.

** The scenes of Lyra staying with Mrs Coulter were longer but got cut down into the montage shown in the film.

** The first teaser showed a completely different opening - where a cat would cross from our world and meet Lyra and Pan. Pan would change shape and scare the cat away - to which he would respond "you'd think she'd never seen anyone's daemon before."
** The original filmed ending can be seen in the trailer; there's a clip of Lyra screaming "I'm not yours. I'll never be yours!" as the ice shelf breaks.
* TheOtherMarty: Different voice actors were originally chosen for Iorek and Hester, Iorek's even making it into the teaser trailer. They were recast with Creator/IanMcKellen and Kathy Bates. Earlier in production Adam Godley was going to voice Pan, but got replaced with Freddie Highmore.

* RealLifeRelative: Dakota Blue Richards's mother makes a cameo in the scene where Lyra and Mrs Coulter are having dinner - where Lyra spits the wine out.
* StillbornFranchise: They were willing to make a trilogy. However, criticism from the Catholic church and middling box office return killed those plans and led to the film's ending Cliffhanger becoming perpetual.
* TroubledProduction: Mostly in the post production stages. The studio insisted on several recuts of the film, and had several scenes re-shot and reordered around. Weitz's original cut had a whole ''hour'' of extra footage. The ending was abruptly cut and given a more uplifting climax, intending to save it as the beginning of the second movie - which of course never happened.

* AwesomeDearBoy: Eva Green signed on to play Serafina Pekkala because she has a great interest in witches and the occult, and loved the idea of playing one. She has played [[{{Series/Camelot}} several]] [[Film/MissPeregrinesHomeForPeculiarChildren more]] [[Series/PennyDreadful since]].

* CastingGag: Lord Asriel is played by Daniel Craig, known as that generation's James Bond. In the London stage adaptation, the role had been played by another former Bond - Timothy Dalton.

* CreatorBacklash: Chris Weitz disowned the final film due to all the ExecutiveMeddling it went through. He especially regretted having to replace Nonso Anonzie's voice as Iorek with Ian [=McKellen=].
* CreatorKiller: This was part of a bad spell that led to New Line Cinema losing their independence, becoming a subsidary of Warner Bros. Pictures; this also led to '''their''' subsidaries getting crushed in the remolding of the firm. This was also the fate of Creator/ShinyEntertainment, the studio that made the game tie-in, and Creator/{{Sega}} had to abandon them to Double Helix.

** The entire ending sequence, where Lyra and Roger travel to find Lord Azriel and [[spoiler: he kills Roger to open up a portal to a new world]]. This was cut primarily to test audiences mistakenly thinking that [[spoiler: Lyra had died and was going to {{Heaven}} rather than just crossing into a new world]]. Two clips of the ending are in the trailer, and some of the sequence is included in the video game.

* CelebrityVoiceActor: For the daemons. Freddie Highmore as Pan and Kathy Bates as Hester. Additionally Ian [=McKellen=] as Iorek.

* CastingGag: Lord Azriel is played by Daniel Craig, known as that generation's James Bond. In the London stage adaptation, the role had been played by another former Bond - Timothy Dalton.

** Even Creator/ShinyEntertainment, who made the licensed game, wasn't safe. While their reputation had already gone down after the release of ''VideoGame/EnterTheMatrix'', the game's poor reception was more or less the final nail in the coffin, and the company merged with The Collective, thus creating Double Helix Games, not too long afterward (this was also part of a particularly bad time for publisher Creator/{{Sega}}, who was coming off the disasterous execution of ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006'', which ruined that franchise's 15th anniversary celebration singlehandedly).

* CreatorKiller: This was part of a bad spell that led to New Line Cinema losing their independence, becoming a subsidary of Warner Bros. Pictures; this also led to '''their''' subsidaries getting crushed in the remolding of the firm. This was also the fate of the studio that made the game tie-in, and Creator/{{Sega}} had to abandon them to Double Helix.

* DisasterDominoes: The film [[BoxOfficeBomb bombed domestically]], Creator/NewLineCinema [[Main/CreatorKiller got absorbed into its parent company Time Warner's sister studio]] Creator/WarnerBros, which led to Warner Bros' and New Line's arthouse subsidiaries Warner Independent Pictures and Picturehouse shutting down. [[note]] The latter studio was revived in 2013, albeit not owned by Warner Bros. [[/note]] New Line largely exists today as a distribution outfit for Warner Bros produced genre films.

* AwesomeDearBoy: Eva Green signed on to play Serafina Pekkala because she has a great interest in witches and the occult, and loved the idea of playing one.