The Hobbit

[Bryancd]

Come on Mr. Jackson, make it a trilogy already.  You know you want to.  ;)

In lovely, natively filmed 3D. :)

[Rico]

Come on Mr. Jackson, make it a trilogy already.  You know you want to.  ;)

In lovely, natively filmed 3D. :)

And IMAX only - don't forget that!  ;)

[Jobydrone]

I agree, Joby, that would make a lot of sense. Also, clearly there is going to be a lot of additional material added that's not in the Hobbit to accommodate the inclusions of characters such as Legolas and others who don't appear in the book. I have faith int his writting team to be creative while respectful of the source material.

Such a big deal is being made every time these LOTR actors announce they are returning for the Hobbit, and I have this feelihng that the sum total of most of their screen time (barring McKellan's Gandalf of course) will probably be around three minutes in some kind of prologue.

[Rico]

You are probably right Joby.  But if that's the case, it's even more a stunt rather than something that is really needed for the films.

P.S.  Remember how much they tried to work Shatner in the last Trek film and wisely decided not to do it.  Because it wasn't needed and didn't serve the story.

[Bromptonboy]

The Guardian, a British national daily newspaper, asks the question; will Peter Jackson's Tolkien tinkering make or break The Hobbit?
I [Ben Child, author] first commented on this phenomenon back in December, when it emerged that Orlando Bloom and Cate Blanchett, aka Legolas and Galadriel, might be appearing in The Hobbit(even though their characters are not present in JRR Tolkien's 1937 children's tale), so it's nothing new. Tracking the little clues that tell us that Jackson wants a radically souped-up Hobbit – and mulling over whether the manifestations of this desire will end up being intelligently crafted or hamfisted on the big screen – has, however, become something of a hobby recently, especially as more and more details begin to emerge.
Along with the titles, whose individual monickering of course mimicks that of the three Lord of the Rings instalments, Jackson this week revealed that we will see the White Council, aka Gandalf, Saruman and Galadriel, attacking the evil Mirkwood fortress of Dol Guldur. In the book, we only hear about the driving out of the Necromancer (revealed in Rings as villain Sauron) in retrospect from the lips of Gandalf.
"I'm not going to say just what and when, but I will confirm that both the White Council and Dol Guldur will feature in the movies," wrote Jackson on his Facebook page. "And not just in one scene either. Just how to visualise it has been a challenge, but fortunately [design chiefs] Alan Lee and John Howe went crazy with ideas, and it should look pretty cool."
It's certainly a tantalising prospect. What shape will Sauron take – Tolkien offers no clues – as he will presumably not yet have assumed the form of a great eye in which he appears in Lord of the Rings? And does this mean that the 89-year-old Christopher Lee has made the trip to New Zealand after all to reprise his role as Saruman? Perhaps his part will be shot against blue screen in the UK – we may have to wait a while to find out.
Structurally, of course, the presence of the scene further Lord of the Ringsises (apologies for the clumsy phrase) The Hobbit. Tolkien's book is a gentle, linear fable which rarely leaves Bilbo Baggins's side (the brief period at the end of the story when the great dragon Smaug leaves his lair to rain down fire and terror on nearby Laketown, and later when the hobbit is asleep during the battle of five armies are the only instances I can recall). Lord of the Rings was a sprawling narrative which split and split again over the course of the book, following different members of the original fellowship of the ring on their separate adventures. Pulling us away from the central story will present The Hobbit through a very different prism to that which was originally intended.

[ori-STUDFARM]

Do you think, to stretch it out to two movies, they might incorporate some of the dropped scenes from LOTR and insert them into Bilbo's adventures somehow? I'm thinking of the whole Tom Bombadil and the Barrow Downs and Old Man Willow?

Would they place these into the adventures before they get to Rivendell?

[Bromptonboy]

What I wouldn't mind is the scenario I read about months ago - which may or may not be the truth.  That the first movie would be the 'true' Hobbit - and the 2nd would be a bridging movie made from logical inference, and from the Appendices of LOTR.  That in my humble opinion would be the place for our beloved Bombabil and Barrow Downs.  I would dearly love to see them included somehow in the 'bridging movie'.
It seems logical to me that Legolas would have been present when Thorin and company were unjustly imprisoned.  Also, having Saruman & Radagast & Galadriel at the White Council also makes sense.  Gandalf even mentions Radagast to Beorn (if my memory serves) in the Hobbit.  Maybe the Barrow Downs and Bombadil can somehow be worked into Aragorn's back-story?
Having said all that - Jackson will have my $'s for this one either way.  :)

[Feathers]

I've never been a Bombadil fan and have always found that to be the bit of the story that I have a real struggle to get through. Thus his absence from the LOTR films was a good thing in my eyes.

Hopefully, if he comes in here somewhere, he won't intrude on the story too far.

[Bromptonboy]

THE HOBBIT Casting Update
by Peter Jackson on Sunday, June 19, 2011 at 4:51pm
Yikes! I can finally get back to some postings!  We've finished our first block of shooting and moved straight into location scouting. More on that soon... But today, I'm thrilled to announce two new cast members who will be joining us for our second block of shooting.

Evangeline Lilly will be playing a new character—the Woodland Elf, Tauriel. Her name means 'daughter of Mirkwood' and, beyond that, we must leave you guessing! (No, there is no romantic connection to Legolas.) What is not a secret is how talented and compelling an actress Evangeline is; we are thrilled and excited she will be the one to bring our first true Sylvan Elf to life.

I'm also highly excited that Barry Humphries will be portraying the Goblin King, in much the way Andy Serkis created Gollum. Barry is perhaps best known for his business and social connections as the long-time manager of Dame Edna Everage. He has also been an ardent supporter of the rather misunderstood and unfairly maligned Australian politician, Sir Les Patterson. However, in his spare time, Barry is also a fine actor, and we're looking forward to seeing him invest the Goblin King with the delicate sensitivity and emotional depth this character deserves.

Evangeline and Barry, along with Welsh actor Luke Evans as Bard and Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug, just about rounds out the major casting. I cannot wait to get stuck into these new scenes!

More soon, including a flurry of answers to your questions. Sorry for the delay! 

Cheers,
Peter J

[Bromptonboy]

Some good casting calls here I think - especially Cumberbatch as Smaug.  Meds - what do you think of that choice?  Anything with Miss Lilly is ok by me - my attention will not be LOST on her... ahem..

[Meds]

Pete I think having Cumberbatch in The Hobbit is brilliant. He is one of the UK's finest actors and he looks very middle earth on a normal day lol

[Bromptonboy]

Pete I think having Cumberbatch in The Hobbit is brilliant. He is one of the UK's finest actors and he looks very middle earth on a normal day lol

I agree - he has a suitable voice for Smaug.  The other choices seem ok as well.  Barry Humphries did the voice of 'Bruce the Shark' in Finding Nemo.  Luke Evans I am not familiar with - but he looks the part.  Evangiline Lilly is beautiful - so I am sure that they will make her suitably ethereal looking.

[Geekyfanboy]

3 new pictures have hit the web.

[Bryancd]

Very cool!

[Bromptonboy]

Looks great - although I always imagined Bilbo as being a little stouter.  MF's abs look too flat.  :)