Colin Farrell and Edward Norton battle For ‘Pride and Glory’

 You would think a Hollywood studio would be in a big hurry to get a Colin Farrell and Edward Norton movie out to the theaters? But Pride and Glory, a movie about a family of New York police officers, which was shot in 2006 with a scheduled release date of March 14 this year, is sitting in moth balls.  A trailer (below) had already started screening when New Line pulled the film from its schedule, until, potentially, 2009. While the story isn’t an uncommon one in Hollywood, the open war by the stars gainst the studio is unusual.

During a press tour for his Sundance-screened movie ‘In Bruges’,  Colin Farrell said of the movie, “I feel the need to kind of speak up… It’s just a really, really strong piece, but I think New Line lost the bollocks on The Golden Compass, you know, love, and they literally don’t have enough money to market things.”

New Line had hoped that The Golden Compass, an adaptation of the His Dark Materials series, was their next Lord of the Rings-type franchise. But the film featuring Nicole Kidman cost New Line $180 million, only $70 million of which was earned back at the U.S. box office (though the international numbers were much better). New Line has also been in the press recently for protracted legal battles with Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, as well as the J.R.R. Tolkien Estate.

The financial hit New Line took on The Golden Compass, perhaps has made them gun shy and the subject matter of Pride and Glory is said to be dark. Pride and Glory, Writer-director Gavin O’Conner is also weighing in. Variety reports today that he’s so upset about the film being delayed, he plans to withhold a script he owes the studio until the matter is resolved, or even explore the option of getting the rights to the film back from them. He’s even screened the film at CAA in the hopes of finding a buyer.

Gavin says of New Line’s CEO, “I don’t think Bob Shaye believes in it, and he’s decided he’ll only release [sure bet] films. He never had the decency to call me.”
Meanwhile Star Ed Norton told the trade, “I just hope they will either find a way to give the film its due or graciously let us do it with someone else,” and Colin added, “This is bizarre.”

Here’s the trailer for “Pride and Glory”