The Irish actor has built a career on appearing in films with heavy storylines, such as 2008's In Bruges. While he doesn't necessarily regret that, he is ready to move into a new genre.

"I'd gotten tired of carrying guns, a little bit. I don't know how I ended up carrying so many guns, I really don't. I hate the f**king things!" he told Total Film magazine. "I didn't even play cops and robbers or - very un PC to say, but at the time - cowboys and Indians. 'Cowboys and Native Americans.' I think I'd gotten tired of doing some films that were thematically quite similar - that revenge and retribution played a prominent role in."

The 37-year-old has vowed to stop appearing with firearms many times, but somehow keeps coming back to them. He can see why, as he's often drawn to the same type of flick, but thinks things will be different from now on.

"Everything's kind of a turning point because when you see something, a film that you've done that worked, you kind of want more of that and you try to figure out what worked about it, but it's constantly a mystery," he laughed. "I've been saying for about three years I think I'm sick of doing films with guns and then I'm in Total Recall and I shoot 20 people. And then I go, 'Aw, that's it, no more guns!' And then all of a sudden I'm in Philadelphia on a set with Noomi Rapace [for Dead Man Down] and I have a gun in my hands."

His new release Winter's Tale is a supernatural drama and a very different kind of film for Colin. He's pleased to be varying things up a bit, although he doesn't regret any of his past decisions.

"If I got offered In Bruges tomorrow after saying, 'No guns! No guns!' and there was a gun in it, I'd do it in a flash," he stated.