New Line confirms Kidman as Coulter
Posted on by Merlyn

Nicole Kidman will be Mrs CoulterNicole Kidman will play Mrs. Coulter in His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass. Early this morning we received an e-mail from our top New Line source, giving us the green light to confirm the numerous reports today, including ones in the Hollywood Reporter and Variety, that Kidman has officially accepted the role of Mrs. Coulter in Chris Weitz's upcoming movie based on the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman.

The news comes after months of advance reporting by The Daily Mail that Kidman was in negotiations for the role, but that disagreements over her fees had held up the process. Reports started appearing on Friday that Kidman and her new husband, Keith Urban, had moved to London so that she could shoot The Golden Compass. New Line was silent on the reports until today. Official confirmation of this story now gives added weight to the rumors that Paul Bettany, also mentioned in the Daily Mail's articles, will play Lord Asriel. Read More.

Addendum: Philip Pullman told the Oxford Mail, “I always hoped she [Nicole] would play Mrs Coulter because of all the wonderful qualities she has as an actress.”

Kidman plots path to NL's 'Compass'

Hollywood Reporter
By Borys Kit

Nicole Kidman is in final negotiations to star in “The Golden Compass,” New Line Cinema's adaptation of the first installment of author Philip Pullman's best-selling “His Dark Materials” trilogy being directed by Chris Weitz.

Dakota Blue Richards already has been cast as Lyra, a girl who discovers she is at the heart of a hideous conspiracy and that the fate of many children rests with her. She embarks on a journey to the far north to save her best friend and encounters shape-shifting creatures, witches and a variety of otherworldly characters.

Kidman will play Mrs. Coulter, a sinister scholar and socialite with a mysterious past who has a secret link to Lyra.

Also on board the film team are production designer Dennis Gassner (“Road to Perdition”), Oscar-nominated costume designer Ruth Myers (“L.A. Confidential”) and Oscar-nominated visual effects supervisor Mike Fink (“X2: X-Men United”).

Production on the film, budgeted at $150 million, is scheduled to begin Sept. 4 in the U.K.

Deborah Forte of Scholastic Entertainment is producing the project along with Weitz's Depth of Field production company. Depth of Field's Paul Weitz and Andrew Miano will serve as executive producers. Bill Carraro also will serve as a producer.

The CAA-repped Kidman last was seen on the big screen in 2005's “Bewitched.” Her upcoming films include the Diane Arbus biopic “Fur” and the sci-fi thriller “The Visiting.”

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64 Responses to New Line confirms Kidman as Coulter

  1. at-the-stars says:

    YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D:D:D:D:D:D

    All I needed to say. Now THAT made my day.

  2. jendiagam says:

    YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Score-a-licious!!!!
    Now we know for sure the movies will rock.

  3. mapthestars says:

    can't belive that they finally got actors rolling in and they have green lighted the film. Kidman is going to be GREAT. I love her :smile:.

  4. Ashe says:

    Wow, this is wonderful. I am really excited now! I think she will be great in the role. 🙂

  5. sean says:

    YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!
    =^_^=

  6. Arriving Somewhere (but not here) says:

    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. just kiding. YEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSS. =)

  7. JV says:

    Still not who I imagined. 🙁 But a fine choice still. 😉 I'm still not convinced Bettany will make the right Asriel though.

  8. at-the-stars says:

    yeah, I know, but Paul Bettany is an amazing actor so I guess the makeup department will work it's magic. I'm not worried about the acting skills 😀

    I always pictured Mrs Coulter with red hair, actually. I hope they keep her red hair, it's too nice.

  9. Kelly says:

    finally, with an actress like that in this movie (and I think she'll make a great Mrs. Coulter), people will stop asking me "what the heck is His Dark Materials?" when I say what my favorite books are

  10. drano says:

    THANK GOD!!
    YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES
    *FAINTS*

  11. vindicated; says:

    OMG YES FINALLY
    i'm so happy now 🙂 :laughing:

  12. Aerosaz says:

    Yay! That's so ace, Nicole Kidman will make a fabulous Mrs Coulter.
    Can't wait!!!

  13. ses says:

    I had hoped that it might be Rachel Weitz, but Ms. Kidman should do a fine job! Few are capable of such chilly sexuality and feminine charm.

  14. Kelly says:

    I'm now kinda hoping Rachel Weitz is Mary since she now can't be Mrs. Coulter.

  15. hoobits says:

    I've been waiting to hear this for awhile and even though she isn't my Mrs. Coulter I can accept it, and am willing to see where this goes.
    Kidman and Coulter is like Patrick Stewart and Professor X. The majority said if they ever make an X-men film he should be it. And The majority said the same for Kidman.

    The likelyhood of Rachel Weisz for Mary is actually pretty high, as she and Chris Weitz were college friends and she was in his film "About a Boy"… She is my pick for Mary Malone btw.

  16. Morgan says:

    Wow… I think I screamed for an hour when I heard about this this morning. I'm SOOOOOO happy, I adore Nicole Kidman!

  17. simple says:

    AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
    HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
    HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
    HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
    HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
    HHHHHHHHHHHHHH

    yeah like omg 🙂 🙂 🙂 :laughing: :laughing:

  18. tony of the sea says:

    Now all they need do is cast Billy Bob Thornton as Lee Scorseby and they'll have the makings of a brillaint cast.

  19. Egwene says:

    Oh god, so excited, I just read that Mrs. Coulter is to be played by Nicole Kidman, I always imagined her in that role, it's delicious!!

    I'm curious as to who they will find for Lord Faa… I'm for Rachel Weitz as Serafina Pekkala instead of Mary Malone.

    The third book is by far my favourite and I can't wait to see how the mulefa work!!!

  20. rory says:

    all i can say is: it's about time for confirmation on THAT one

    years! it's been years!

  21. Chukar says:

    this rocks. they're finally getting actors, and good ones at that…
    in the book it says mrs. coulter had dark hair, though. you think they'll dye it??

    i wonder who serefina pekkala will be. she was my favorite character, and i would like to see liv tyler play her role, but that would be too 'lord of the rings' like…
    maybe kate beckinsale???

    rachel weisz as mary malone? wasnt mary malone like, chubby and kind of older??

  22. Serafina87 says:

    What a wonderful news!!! She's perfect :smile:!!!!

  23. Michael says:

    YES YES YES! I love me some Kidman(I consider her to be the best actress of her generation) so her being apart of something else I was so eagerly anticipating makes me so happy! She is indeed(as someone mentioned) the Patrick Stewert of His Dark Materials. If they made a movie, she HAD to be in it. She can bring such an icy and sexy tone to it.

    I'm so excited now! :laughing:

  24. Pat says:

    Ain't it Cool News are saying that Eva Green (The Dreamers, Casino Royale) will be playing Serafina Pekkala. I have no idea what their source is, but I think she'd be terrific.

  25. Pat says:

    Ha, stupid me. They got the story from Variety so it's more than likely true.

  26. Serge says:

    Well, it's kinda silly, but I have always pictured someone like Kate Beckinsale in "The Aviator" as Mrs Coulter:

    http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0338751/CN-432-10_10AF.jpg
    http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0338751/CN-298-23A_24.jpg

    But I suspect that I will not be disappointed by Ms Kidman either.

  27. Miles Pieri says:

    Kidman might be the obvious choice but she's an excellent one too – I think we've had better news than BatMan fans this week (Heath Ledger as The Joker????)

  28. Yoruichi says:

    I'm so glad Kidman is playing Coulter!!
    I always pictured Catherine Zeta-Jones as Coulter though, but I think Kidman's gonna be terrific!!
    Can't wait to see the movie!!

  29. Pumpkin says:

    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
    OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
    NO!NO!NO!NO!NO!!!!!!!!!!
    Not Nicole Kidman!
    She is sooo NOT my idea of Mrs Coulter!
    Nicole Kidman is a good actress-she was totally amazing in Moulin Rouge- but she really is not my idea of Mrs Coulter! She seems to nice!! Mrs Coulter is supposed to be like a bar of chocolate- sweet and innocent looking on the outside but on the inside dark and rich, sumptuous and so wickedly tempting!! I do not believe that she will be able to fulfil a role so dark and complicated as that of Mrs Coulter!
    I AM not HAPPY!!!
    I always imagined someone darker like Rachel Weiz or somebody else!!
    No!!!!!!!
    No!!!!!!
    And Paul Bettany as Lord Asriel?
    Well I suppose he is rather cold looking but shouldn't they get someone much older. Remeber he has been travelling and exploring all of his life and this has to have taken some toll and his looks and posture and aura .I always imagined Lord Asriel to be like in his late 40s or Early 50s, grey enough to make him distingushed.
    :crying:
    But hey– :sad:there's nothing I can do.
    If the Majourity like the final choice so be it. I guess I'll just have to wait and see the final result.

  30. Arriving Somewhere (but not here) says:

    :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

    I laugh at the pumpkin's sillyness

  31. Wytchbabi says:

    NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
    OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
    OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
    OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
    OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    !!!!!!!!! :crying: :angry: 🙁 :wassat: :crying:

  32. Corsair of Umbar says:

    I think Kidman will be great. She has the perfect combination of cold beauty to play Mrs. Coulter. Did anyone ever see her in Gus van Sant's To Die For? She plays against type in that film and does it well.

    I'm new here but have read the books twice and have visited the site often. Can't wait to see this film!

  33. Adiam21 says:

    she's the wrongest person ever to play mrs.coulter.the best and only coulter is catherine zeta-jones.i was almost crying when i read this.really bad news

  34. Arriving Somewhere (but not here) says:

    First of all there is no such word as wrongest, and second no one has acted as as Mrs. Coulter yet including Cathrine, so there is no way in hell your comment could be right. 😉

    P.S. Take Corsair of Umbar's advice and see Gus van Sant's "To Die For" you'll see how very wrong you are. 😉

  35. simple says:

    this has like nothing to do with this discussion, but your name 'Corsair of Umbar' is that from a book? Because it sounds too familar to be made up, or im probably just freakin again =]

  36. Arriving Somewhere (but not here) says:

    Lord of The Rings 😉

  37. simple says:

    thanks! dear gawd i was sitting for hours trying to figure that out!

  38. Tash says:

    Great news, she was my perfect choice really as long as she manages to pull off the emotional aspect which I don't doubt…

    If Paul Bettany is cast as Asriel i'm sorry but the casting directors would deserve to be shot for sheer stupidity. I love him but he is NOT Asriel AT ALL. I wouldn't mind if he played Lee Scorseby or something but please god not Asriel. *crosses fingers he won't*

    This film really doesn't need well known actors and actresses for the cast – just look at LOTR!

  39. Corsair of Umbar says:

    Hi Simple. Yes my board name is from the Lord of the Rings. The Corsairs of Umbar were seafaring pirates of the Third Age. Aragorn captured their fleet and sailed to the aid of Minas Tirith bearing the black flags of the Corsairs, thereby, taking Sauron's forces off guard, for they thought help had arrived.

  40. simple says:

    Ohhh! I thought they were from the Silmarillion tho, waow im really living up to my name now, arent i lol? Lotr rawks dont it?

    And Tash I totally agree with you, Paul bettany? Seriously? He just doesnt fit the part at ALL, i hope they find someone else, ive no-one in mind at the minute, but they have to find someone. They should just hold open auditions, there might be, excuse my quote from Disney, ''a diamond in the ruff' lol

  41. MCH says:

    WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! 🙂
    Sorry – I just think that she'll make a really really good Mrs Coulter. We saw in Moulin Rouge that she can do the whole double agenda thing. Her accepting the role has to be a good sign.
    But I agree with most people here: Paul Bettany just isn't Asriel. It just isn't right!!!
    And simple, by the way, talking open auditions – do you know if they'll be holding any for extras in the movie? Or if anyone else has any helpful hints I'd love them very much! xxx
    Cheers!

  42. simple says:

    Ive no idea! Ive been searching through audition sites, and there doesnt seem to be anything! I dont suppose they have extra auditions until later on in production though, i mean, they havnet even found the main cast yet lol (which hopefully wont include paul bettany)

  43. MCH says:

    simple: I know but different films do casting in different orders – like the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe didn't cast voices for some of the animals (like Rupert Everett) until after most of the shooting had been completed!

  44. simple says:

    oh yeah i suppose so, and that does make sense to get the main filming over with, but even with that, i STILL have no idea when they are holding auditions! :tongue:

  45. MCH says:

    simple: :crying:

  46. simple says:

    MCH: I totally agree. =(

  47. Laurentalion01 says:

    i think 🙂 shes 🙂 perfect 🙂 for the job!! 🙂

  48. Lillam says:

    She is PERFECT for the role. It would be horrible reading the book again and trying not to imagine the person you hate playing the part. But i think that she and the rest of the cast so far are a perfect choice. And provided they find the right Asriel (Not Paul Bettany or Clive Owen!!!) it should be a great film. Nicole Kidman should fit the role of Mrs Coutler like a glove!

  49. nightshade says:

    😛 yaeh!!!!!!!! she will be perfect!!!

  50. holly says:

    I was so happy to learn that Nicole Kidman would be playing Mrs. Coulter! Even before I heard the rumors I pictured her as Mrs. Coulter when I read the books! YES! Great choice!