The Hobbit

[jedijeff]

Looks like Peter Jackson will not be directing

Peter Jackson has agreed to make two 'Lord of the Rings' prequels based on 'The Hobbit' after settling a legal dispute with film company New Line Cinema.

(BANG) -

Peter Jackson will make two prequels to 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy based on 'The Hobbit'.

The director and his wife Fran Walsh have agreed to be executive producers on the big screen adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy book after settling a legal dispute with film company New Line Cinema over the profits from the Oscar-winning franchise.

Jackson said: "I'm very pleased we have been able to put our differences behind us. We're delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth."

Jackson will not direct the films, claiming he could not meet the planned release dates of 2010 and 2011.

Harry Sloan, chairman of MGM, who will co-finance the films, said: "Peter can't get it scheduled and he doesn't want the fans to have to wait for the next two movies."

Excited moviegoers greeted the news with delight, with one user of fan site theonering.com exclaiming: "Fist in the air! Yes! Trust Peter, The Master, The Commander, The Wizard!"

'The Hobbit' tells of a world inhabited by wizards, dwarves, elves and little people called hobbits, including the central character, Bilbo Baggins.

Cast members from Jackson's 'The Lord of the Rings' films, including Sir Ian McKellen who played wizard Gandalf and Sir Ian Holm who portrayed Bilbo, are expected to reprise their roles.

'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy - 'The Fellowship of the Ring', 'The Two Towers' and 'The Return of the King' - was hugely successful, taking in a massive $3 billion at the box office.


(C) BANG Media International

[Geekyfanboy]

Elijah Wood Wants To Go Back Again To 'The Hobbit'
Published by Shawn Adler on Friday, January 11, 2008 at 3:10 pm.

Attention Cate Blanchett, Viggo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, and Sean Astin: You've gone "There." Now get ready to go "Back Again" - at least according to Elijah Wood's conversations with "Hobbit" maestro Peter Jackson.

"I haven't spoken to him directly about it [but] I've e-mailed him, and as far as I know the two films that they're doing, one will be 'The Hobbit' and another will take place between the 60 years that happened between 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings,'" the once and future Frodo enthused to MTV News, possibly confirming rumors that the second planned film would not be a Part II, but instead a narrative bridge.

Which means plenty of opportunities for all the stars of "LOTR" to reprise their famous characters in some capacity. None more so, perhaps, than Wood himself, who would arguably be a central figure along with Gandalf, Aragorn, Galadriel, and Gollum in any connecting story.

For his part, Wood, who next stars as a conscripted citizen in "Day Zero," is positively thrilled at the possibility.

"If I'm asked to go back and revisit that character and it makes sense, I would love to. I would absolutely love to," he said.

True, hard-core Tolkien aficionados could tell you that not much is known about Frodo in the intervening years between "The Hobbit" and "LOTR," excepting, of course, his parents' deaths and some conversations and journeys with Bilbo which are alluded to in the later legendarium.

That makes it all the more a guarantee that Wood would return, he declared.

"Nothing was really written with Frodo involved in it. That was sort of an ancillary tale outside of 'Lord of the Rings.' I can't imagine that they [Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens] would write great reams of information regarding my character," he said of necessary invention outside of Tolkien's established canon. "But if he [Frodo] should show up, it would actually be the perfect way to revisit because it could be small enough that I could go back and have a nice sort of reunion with the memories that I have of the experience."

As an actor, Wood is excited about the possibility of returning with Jackson to the world of Middle-earth. But he's even more excited, he said, as a fan.

"It's a great triumph [that Peter is involved.] I think that's really important that the same team that worked on the [earlier] films [work on "The Hobbit"], the same effects team, that it be shot in New Zealand. I think that it's important that Ian McKellen is cast as Gandalf, just so that there's a synergy between the films," he insisted. "I think people want it to exist in the same world. So at least now we are assured that it will be done through that same lens, which is great. It's exciting."

[Ktrek]

I don't like this idea of doing a Hobbit movie outside the known cannon. Tolkien would absolutely turn over in his grave and I can't believe the family would even allow it. I guess the "love of money" truly is the root of all evil!

Kevin

[Geekyfanboy]

Yeah I agree Kevin.. but I have heard they will be pulling stuff from the LOTR appendices and Tolkien notes... I trust Peter Jackson and company... they wouldn't do it unless they had some good plans..

[Ktrek]

Well, I cannot say I absolutely trust Peter Jackson. I think he made three fine films and his last film )King Kong) was a gigantic flop!(no pun intended). I want to see the Hobbit released and I have high hopes. I just think that milking the franchise for two films comes down to one word...GREED!

I mean what is there in the appendices that could provide enough material for a movie? Can you think of anything? Not even the Similrillion has enough substance to base a movie on.

Kevin

[Geekyfanboy]

Well I still hope the two movies will encompass just The Hobbit.. I still think there is enough material to cover two movies. Honestly I don't think there is much in the appendices that take place in between Hobbit and LOTR. I think everything is hear say at the moment..

[Ktrek]

Honestly I don't see how you can make the Hobbit into two movies. I mean LOTR was really condensed and still gave the essence of the books but to make the Hobbit into two films will really be stretching credibility IMO. I really despise Hollywood's greed and corruption and I just wish there was a viable alternative for entertainment and at this time there is not.

Kevin

[Bryancd]

Although I do think they could make 2 normal length feature films out of the content of The Hobbit very easily, I am of two minds regarding one film of The Hobbit and another with new story content. Although I adore Tolkien's work, that doesn't mean that new stories can't be added if they are well done. I think Brian herbert wrote some very good books for the whole pre-Dune series that don't take away from his fathers original tales. My concern would be any adventures os Sam, Frodo, and Gandalf prior to LOTR really changes the nature of those characters as they enter LOTR. How different would they all have been not so innocent and pure before embarking on the ring quest?

[Geekyfanboy]

Del Toro Considering Hobbit Films

Guillermo del Toro is in talks to direct back-to-back installments of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Del Toro's name was on a short list of directors who could tackle the highly anticipated project, the trade paper said.

Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson was originally set to direct the prequel films, but he departed the project following a legal dispute with New Line and the project was put on hold. But with the resolution of the lawsuit in December, The Hobbit is now back on track, with Jackson on board as an executive producer.

Because of the strike, no writer has been hired to adapt Tolkien's children's classic, though that process will be fast-tracked once it's resolved. Del Toro and Jackson will oversee the development of the script.

Principal photography for the two films, which will be shot simultaneously, is tentatively set for 2009. The production budget is estimated at $150 million for each installment. The release of the first film is slated for 2010 and the second in 2011.

[Geekyfanboy]

Now this movie may not happen... read below

New Line's Legal Troubles Far From Over

After New Line and Peter Jackson kissed and made up the studio figured their legal troubles over "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy was finally over. Nothing could have been further from the truth.

It now appears that the Tolkien Trust, the English charity that overseas the estate of J.R.R. Tolkien, and book publisher HarperCollins have brought a $150 million lawsuit against New Line Cinema. The suit makes the claim that the trust did not receive any of its gross profit payments for the three films based on Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings. The law suit was filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, according to Variety.

The suit also seeks punitive damages, and a legal declaration from the bench that the plaintiffs can terminate any further rights New Line may have to the Tolkien works under the agreements — including "The Hobbit." Now we understand what director Guillermo del Toro was referring to in his cryptic message stating that there may or may not be a feature film made of "The Hobbit." We made known del Toro's statement about his possibility, or lack thereof, of directing this next Tolkien prequel.

New Line has declined to comment on the suit at this time.

[Rico]

These people just don't want to make millions of more dollars I guess.  Sheesh!

[Geekyfanboy]

Del Toro Talks "The Hobbit" Status

By Garth FranklinWednesday, March 19th 2008 12:08am

There was a lot of excitement back in January when it was announced that New Line Cinema was moving forward with plans for two films based on J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" which Peter Jackson would produce and Guillermo del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth," "Hellboy") was the favorite to direct.

Then of course the Tolkien Estate filed a lawsuit against New Line Cinema, whilst New Line found itself being folded back into its parent company Time Warner. That left many asking what would happen to the films and are they still going ahead?

del Toro himself spoke with TheOneRing.net about that today - "At this stage anything I say is of no consequence for I am not yet signed to do "The Hobbit." Negotiations advance but are still ongoing."

Despite the legal issues to be sorted, word is that Warners is very keen to move forward with these films. del Toro himself is taking the job very seriously - "All I can say is that I am diligently going through all Tolkien material related to Middle-earth but only as a way of bridging a gap in my reading. I still respond the strongest to 'The Hobbit,' but as an avid reader of Mythology I find a lot of his other writings fascinating. A perfect Cosmology forged from very eclectic sources."

[Geekyfanboy]

McKellen Eager To Join Hobbit

Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf the wizard in the three Lord of the Rings movies, posted on his personal blog that he is interested in reprising the role in the Peter Jackson-produced Hobbit movies now in development.

"Yes, I will [do them], if Peter Jackson and I have anything to do with it, he being the producer and me being, on the whole, a very lucky actor," McKellen wrote on March 26.

Jackson is producing two Hobbit films, based on J.R.R. Tolkien's book, and is expected to adapt the book with his Lord of the Rings partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens.

"Encouragingly, Peter and Fran Walsh have told me they couldn't imagine The Hobbit without their original Gandalf," McKellen said. "Their confidence hasn't yet been confirmed by the director, Guillermo del Toro, but I am keeping my diary free for 2009!"

Del Toro is reportedly still in talks about directing The Hobbit.

[Jen]

Yeah! I loved Mckellen's performance as Gandalf. I hope they do ask him to play the part. :)

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Good, keep him.  We already know what a disaster it is to get new wizards in the same type of movie. 

*cough* HARRY POTTER *cough*

King