New Line are saying that rumours that Paul Bettany would take the role of Lord Asriel in The Golden Compass movie are false. Our source within New Line said that he can, “guarantee that Paul Bettany is not cast in this movie.” We were given to understand previously that Bettany was interested in the part, but that negotiations were stalling over fees – with New Line wanting to scale the actor's fees down for the first movie, where Asriel has comparatively little to do. This may have led to Bettany eventually turning down the role. As with all rumours, things may change – but this seems to be how things stand at the moment.
No Paul Bettany for Compass, reports say
August 10, 2006
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Hooray! Personally, I thought Bettany looked too young for the part of Asriel. he looks sort of like Sting,or Steve McQueen, doesn't he?
I thought Bettany looked rather… frail and transparent as well as too young. I hope whoever they find to play the part of Lord Asriel has more of an air of masculinity. When I saw Bettany's picture, I immediately thought he looked diminutive and unfit for the role. Someone with more of a presence would be nice. But that's just my opinion!
YEEEESSSSS!!! :laughing: 🙂 :tongue: 😉 WOOO! The good news keeps coming. Sorry, I just really think Bettany wouldn't make a good Asriel. This is good. Now if they'd just announce Viggo Mortensen is playing Asriel I'd pass out from the joy.
omg! like YAYY!!!!!!!!! *falls off chair*
lol at the steve McQueen comment, he owns.
yeah, i didnt think that this dude would make a good dude for the movie, some1 older perhaps, and more not fruity.
I love most of Paul Bettany's stuff, but I can't help but jump up and down for joy that he won't be playing Asriel. WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! 🙂
No offence. 😉
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!
I am glad that Bettany didn't get that role. He didn't look right for the part. I think Ralph Fennis has much a better build and is more older to play that role.
THANK GOODNESS!
i was thinking jermey irons… what do you think of him?
YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
YYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 🙂 :tongue: 😉 :laughing: 🙂 he's a brilliant actor, but all wrong for Asriel. i wonder who they'll try next? (*crosses fingers and toes* CliveOwenCliveOwenCliveOwen)
by the way, i think i've found someone to play Will!
Jack Schouten. In V For Vendetta he played the Middle Class Boy. His first line in the movie was "Dad, what's wrong with the telly?" That kid. I just think he might be good for the part.
Paul Bettany has a habit of transforming his physical appearance to fit each role he undertakes. He was anything but scrawny in 'The Da Vinci Code'. As far as acting chops go, there are very few who can compete with him and he tends to own every movie he appears in. shame on New Line for trying to get a first-rate actor for a bargain-basement price.
Kendra: Sorry to disagree with you – I know Paul Bettany's a great actor (I particularly loved him in A Knight's Tale), but I still think he looked scrawny in Da Vinci Code. Maybe it was the hood / cloak thing he wore! :wassat:
He certainly didn't look scrawny when he WASN'T wearing the cloak. Heh.
I completly agree with Kendra. Finally someone to see things the right way: WE WERE LUCKY TO HAVE PAUL ON BOARD!!!!
NUF SAID!!!!!!!!!!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!
Where in the book did it say that Asriel was scary, dark, or muscular? Seriously- lay off Bettany.
I am so glad he didn't get the part. Paul bettany and grim really shouldn't occur in the same sentence.
Good news.I still hope,Lord Asriel = Hugh Jackman or William Snow 🙂
I agree with Kendra as well. I am very disappointed, hopefully something can still be worked out
I'm hoping it'll be Jason Isaacs or Sean Bean now!
good. i thought he looked a bit too peaky for the part. and too young
Jason Isaacs, Ralph Fiennes or Sean Bean!
Paul Bettany is a terrific transformational actor and an understated choice. If I stabbed myself for every time Jason Issacs, Clive Owen, Jeremy Irons were mentioned, I would have been dead in 1995. I think we're going to sorely regret not having Bettany on board :crying:
Viggo Mortensen would be cool but i dont see him signing up for another fantasy trilogy anytime soon.. i dislike Clive Owen but he could be great in this role … i also like the suggestions of Sean Bean – he's brilliant…
I also think Bettany has the talent to pull this one off, but nevermind.
Sean Bean would be a good choice.
A complete no in my mind for Clive Owen, he may look good, but did you hear his (un)rousing monologue in King Arthur. The guy only seems to have one tone. 😉
This REALLY sucks. Paul Bettany is amazing at transforming himself, so even if he was "peaky" (which he IS NOT), makeup would have taken care of that as it did in Da Vinci Code (he's not actually an albino, as some people have asked). I hate Newline. Now they're just looking for a McActor. By-the-way, why are so many people set on Lord of the Rings actors???
Yessss! I'm so glad!
I'd like Liam Neeson to play Asriel, what do you think?
hmmmm, i never thought about sean bean, but i agree he'd be good………not to mention his name looks really funy written out like that 😉
Yep, Dogma . . . New Line shot themselves in the foot. Bettany has shown he's been willing to work for scale in the extreme before (Dogville, anyone?), but only for the right project. As this doesn't promise to be anything ground-breaking or artistically enriching, he's seeking his compensation monetarily, instead, since he'd likely gain nothing else from it. If something was going to make him a household name, it was going to be 'The Da Vinci Code'. He certainly doesn't need another tentpole movie. Here's hoping he hooks up with Branaugh sometime in the near future and we get some stellar Shakespeare. That would be divine! :tongue:
Liam Neeson is also a brilliant actor, but not quite right for Asriel. He's too much of a guru kinda actor, for lack of a better word. He's really soft, whereas Asriel is hard, ardent, uncomprimising, confident, arrogant, and ambitious. (I'm telling you that Clive Owen is the only actor who i think could pull all that off!!! Does anyone know another actor who can do these things?)
I dunno. Clive was too monotone in King Arthur and a rat @!#$%&^ in Closer. Plus, he always looks so scruffy. I'll still miss Paul. Who else could play a deranged, scarred and bloody,half-naked Catholic albino gimp in a robe and still manage to be so beautiful? At least I'll have The Da Vinci Code…
Kendra & Dogma, i just wanted to point out that, thought it may have been NewLine offering too low a paycheck to bettany, it could also have been Bettany demanding much too high of one. It's true, there are three, four, possibly five scenes in the entire book with Asriel. The role he plays is more of a background one the TGC.
I know, you're right about Clive Owen, he's extremely monotonous. but i can't think of any other actor who could sucessfully pull off the lazy arrogance of Lord Asriel.
I understand he may have been asking a lot- but what on Earth makes anyone believe Star Wars or Lord of the Rings actors would be any less? If anything- I imagine Viggo or Sean or Clive would be even more. It's wishful thinking at best. My guess is they'll go for a lesser-known actor (which is fine) but I hope NewLine doesn't resort to recycling actors from previously successful films. That would just be stupid. At least Bettany would have been a fresh face.
Just a fast note. Was newline the one said pual was being in the film. I dont think so. I thought it was in a magizen that also mentioned kidman in it. mabey that magazien just wanted to stur things up and newline came out now saying that it was rubish. So don't go blaming newline about shouting themseles in the foot. also I didn't like pual but I would have been fine. but now that he is gone what about Ralph Fiennes. :smile:. please telll me if I was wroung about the magizen thing :laughing:.
fond this on BTTS. it was in the daily mail. this is what it said on BTTS to near the bottom.
This story is still highly unconfirmed. The Mail have a history of making up rumours, having insisted for years (even before the film had a director)
ok so don't go killing the nice people at Newline about putting down a bad deal. they probally wern't even considering him!.
I think Sean Bean or Liam Neeson would be good choices for the role of Astriel, but at the same time I wouldn't mind them going for a lesser known actor.
Either way, definitely NOT Clive Owen!!
I'm not getting the Clive Owen bashing, though. Did no one SEE 'Closer'? Brilliant!
mapthestars – since then I've had the opportunity to speak with the Mail journalist who initially reported on Bettany's involvement; this is legit. New Line did get to the negotiations stage with Bettany. The only thing I'm not clear on is how this latest statement relates to the future – it doesn't entirely rule out Bettany still coming onboard.
Willl: Thanks for telling me about that. I would rather see Bettany for the Hot air boollon man. (BLAST I forgout his name!! shame on me)
lee scorseby? hmmm……………. interesting. i guess if he could pull off the accent…..
Yeah, Lee.(thanks rory) :smile:. Bettany also looks the part to a little bit. Mabey that's why he isn't doing Asriel. Mabey he is doing Lee… but most likley not. :sad:.
Paul Bettany would be brilliant. He's a good actor and I'm sure he'd do just fine as Lord Asriel. I hope the role is his 🙂
I am sooooo releived Paul Bettany isn't playing Lord Asriel-He's nothing like him. Lord Asrial is tall with powerful shoulders, a dark face and (black) eyes filled with savage laughter-not scrorny with pale skin, blonde hair and blue eyes. I don't care how talented he is, or how good hair and make-up can be, he'd have spoilt it! Idealy a young Terence Stamp would have been great but i think Huge Jackman (Kate & Leopold-Flushed Away accent) would be more like it. Or maybe Jeremy Irons (maybe too old) Clive Owen isn't as bad as Paul Bettany but he's still bad. An unknown might be best yet! -Provided they stay faitful to the book.
How about James D'arcy ( if Hugh Jackman is not available ) he was excellent in Master and Commander alongside Russell Crowe. Has the height, gravitas and persona.
WHY IS EVERYONE SAYING PAUL BETTANY IS TOO SMALL?????? He's 6'3" for chrissake!
I Would offer it to James Purefoy myself.
James Purefoy would make a very good Asriel-good thinking! But i still keep thinking of Hugh Jackman in the role. It's bad enough that we've got a ginger James Bond but at least you could see the kind-a Jason-Bourne-ish thing they might have been aiming for – But(I say it again) Paul Bettany as Asriel!!! What are people thinking. People should read the first three chapters of the book again (page 13 especially) He's a 6'3 streak of p**s. I cringe when i think of him playing him. Asriel might only be dotted throughout His Dark Materials but he leaves a longing impression that makes you wish he could be in Book of Dust. Its very important to get the right actor. James Purefoy might not be as pricey as Jackman and would do the job fine.
Lillam- get treatment for the Tourette's. It's not very becoming. I was only saying that 6'3" is hardly small.