Official The Hobbit thread

[Mr. Socko]

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/34942

Wingnut films says it was just a rumor, No Hobbit in 3D. Shame, I think making it two films in 3D would have been great, and a huge money grabber for Wingnut and New Line.

 

[The Dark Defender]

^Yeah, that could have been a two hour movie at the most. We didn't need all the extra padding before the island...at least they could have had some adventures on the voyage there.

I really liked the the island had a mystique to it before we even seen it, other than maybe 5 minutes tops, I thought the first act flowed just fine.
Getting to know Ann, Jack, and Carl was every bit as good as it should've been imo.

 

[green]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=40300

Peter Jackson to Produce The Hobbit and Sequel!
Source: New Line Cinema
December 18, 2007


Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson; Harry Sloan, Chairman and CEO, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM); Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne, Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs of New Line Cinema have jointly announced today that they have entered into the following series of agreements:

* MGM and New Line will co-finance and co-distribute two films, The Hobbit and a sequel to The Hobbit. New Line will distribute in North America and MGM will distribute internationally.

* Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh will serve as Executive Producers of two films based on The Hobbit. New Line will manage the production of the films, which will be shot simultaneously.

* Peter Jackson and New Line have settled all litigation relating to the "Lord of the Rings" (LOTR) Trilogy.

Said Peter Jackson, "I'm very pleased that we've been able to put our differences behind us, so that we may begin a new chapter with our old friends at New Line. 'The Lord of the Rings' is a legacy we proudly share with Bob and Michael, and together, we share that legacy with millions of loyal fans all over the world. We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth. I also want to thank Harry Sloan and our new friends at MGM for helping us find the common ground necessary to continue that journey."

"Peter Jackson has proven himself as the filmmaker who can bring the extraordinary imagination of Tolkien to life and we full heartedly agree with the fans worldwide who know he should be making 'The Hobbit,'" said Sloan, MGM's Chairman and CEO. "Now that we are all in agreement on 'The Hobbit,' we can focus on assembling the production team that will capture this phenomenal tale on film."

Bob Shaye, New Line Co-Chairman and Co-CEO comments, "We are very pleased we have been able to resolve our differences, and that Peter and Fran will be actively and creatively involved with 'The Hobbit' movies. We know they will bring the same passion, care and talent to these films that they so ably accomplished with 'The Lord of the Rings' Trilogy."

"Peter is a visionary filmmaker, and he broke new ground with 'The Lord of the Rings,'" notes Michael Lynne, New Line Co-Chairman and Co-CEO. "We're delighted he's back for 'The Hobbit' films and that the Tolkien saga will continue with his imprint. We greatly appreciate the efforts of Harry Sloan, who has been instrumental in helping us reach our new accord."

The two "Hobbit" films – The Hobbit and its sequel – are scheduled to be shot simultaneously, with pre-production beginning as soon as possible. Principal photography is tentatively set for a 2009 start, with the intention of The Hobbit release slated for 2010 and its sequel the following year, in 2011.

The Oscar-winning, critically-acclaimed LOTR Trilogy grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box-office. In 2003, "Return of the King" swept the Academy Awards, winning all of the eleven categories in which it was nominated, including Best Picture – the first ever Best Picture win for a fantasy film. The Trilogy's production was also unprecedented at the time.

 

[Symbiotic]

Best news I've read all day.

 

[Figs]

This made my day.

 

[The Lizard]

So The Hobbit will indeed be two films -- interesting.

I wonder what the secondary titles of the films will be (I suppose "The Hobbit, Part One" and "...Part Two" would work). I also wonder where the ending point of the first film will be. Sometime after Bilbo meets Gollum but before Mirkwood Forest maybe?

 

[Galactus]

I'm still not too excited of the idea of making two movies out of this. It feels too much like they want to squeeze every dollar they can out of the franchise. Well, hopefully they won't at least stretch the story out into two three hour epics.

 

[That-Guy]

Well, at least Peter Jackson is still involved with the film. But I don't want Sam Raimi anywhere near this thing.

And yeah, splitting it into two movies really is unnecessary. They just want to cash in.

 

[Road Warrior]

I'm still not too excited of the idea of making two movies out of this. It feels too much like they want to squeeze every dollar they can out of the franchise. Well, hopefully they won't at least stretch the story out into two three hour epics.

Yea...

 

[terry78]

Now the big question...who do you want to voice Smaug?

 

[Star]

Well, at least Peter Jackson is still involved with the film. But I don't want Sam Raimi anywhere near this thing.

And yeah, splitting it into two movies really is unnecessary. They just want to cash in.

Ditto to everything you said.

I slightly fear Raimi after SM3....

 

[BloodyWolverine]

I think the perfect voice for Smaug would be Christopher Lee aka former Saruman or James Earle Jones as the Voice Of Smaug.

 

[Damiean Dark]

I dont think it should be two movies the hobbit is a much more straightfoward (and more enjoyable imo) book then LOTR all i want is ian mckellen to return as gandalf and none of that using normal height actors they did in LOTR the size difference between them and normal sized humans fluctuated far to much imo. thier are plenty of hobbit size actors out there.

 

[BloodyWolverine]

My guess is you don't need too for you have one Hobbit and 13 dwarvs and a wizard mosly until you meet the 3 trolls the goblins, the humans of lake town.
Awe yes this is great.
After the let down of Golden Compass didn't take New Line long to get the thing with PJ resolved and The Hobbit there money maker on track.

 

[Darkly Dexter]

I want to see him as the Director of the movie. Not the producer.

 

[Figs]

So the general concensus sounds like most of you want it to be just one film which would mean cutting a number of things out? Which is funny since most fanboys/fangirls usually ***** and moan when the source material is changed or things are taken out like in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Not to mention other films based on books/games and whatnot.

I dont think it should be two movies the hobbit is a much more straightfoward (and more enjoyable imo) book then LOTR all i want is ian mckellen to return as gandalf and none of that using normal height actors they did in LOTR the size difference between them and normal sized humans fluctuated far to much imo. thier are plenty of hobbit size actors out there.

Not sure about plenty, aren't midgets/little people to small to play hobbits? I felt the computer effects to change their size worked fine.

 

[Venomfan]

i'm pissed Jackson isn't director

 

[Ironfan72]

I'm very happy to see New Line and Peter Jackson worked things out, I'm not thrilled he's not directing, but that could change.

 

[Figs]

Did he say exactly why he chose not to direct?

 

[Batmans Spirit]

Look at SHH main page Raimi might direct!

Raimi is a great visual director. But he let me down with Spidey 3!

 

[Timstuff]

I'm not terribly keen on the idea of doing 2 hobbit movies, since I think that the story would work just fine as one movie, since it's a relatively slim book compared to the LOTR books. But hey, I'm hardly going to complain. If Peter Jackson is there, then I'm there.

 

[YsoSerious]

The Hobbit Lives! I'm a little dissapointed Jackson isn't directing but I'm sure he had his fill of Tolkien. I hope it still has the involvement of Howard Shore, Andy Serkis and Ian McKellan. Not too sure about Rami directing-I don't care for the last 2 Spidey flicks.

 

[Kud-Dukan]

Technically if they stick with what they've always wanted to do, the first movie would be The Hobbit in its entirety, and the second film would bridge the gap between the Hobbit and LOTR using information gather from other sources (like the appendices and Tolkien's other books).

Either way, this is awesome news. Not as awesome as PJ directing it, but it's still great.

 

[EdRyder]

Two films could work,.I suspect the first one will have a heavy chunk of Quest of Erebor..
Im thrilled that Peter is producing.Of course in a perfect world he would be directing..Other questions are more important like, will Boyens /Walsh write the screenplay?

 

[speedracer216]

anyone know what the article on the front page (or on comingsoon.net) is talking about for a "sequel" to the hobbit? they will be shot together it says.

can't be silmarillian or anything like that. those aren't sequels. are they splitting the hobbit into two films?

DOES ANYBODY KNOW FOR SURE??!?!?!?!