The Hobbit

[Rappy Veteran]

This morning the gents at theonering.net attempted to separate fact and fiction in the rumors swirling around the upcoming Hobbit films and offered some speculation based on the available information. They?re in a position to know a bit more than most of us because Guillermo Del Toro, the director, frequently posts to their message boards. It?s still very early days; the script?s first draft is not complete yet. The movies will most likely begin pre-production this fall, shoot 2010, and be released Holiday 2011 and Holiday 2012. So we?re a long way off.

But there are a few things we do know. Ian McKellan, Hugo Weaving, and Andy Serkis have expressed their willingness to reprise their roles as Gandalf, Elrond, and Gollum. Ian McKellan sent Comic-Con goers a message: ?Just tell them, I?m waiting for the call from Middle Earth.? Andy Serkis says he?s in ?very exciting talks? with Del Toro and ?it?s looking very likely [he'll] be returning to Middle Earth.? Del Toro has also talked at great length about the artist?s he?s working with to create The Hobbit?s aesthetic. Lord of the Rings artists John Howe and Alan Lee have been to New Zealand. Mike Mignola, creator of Hellboy, is working on dwarves and goblins. Wayne Barlowe, Oscar Chichoni, and Francisco Ruiz will contribute, as well as WETA Workshop and Spectral Motion.

Most speculation is centered around the narrative structure. The Hobbit is a plodding episodic children?s book, and no one?s quite sure how that will transfer into two blockbuster movies. Reports that information from Appendices A, B, C, and D will be included in the film led to some musings that one movie would contain the whole of The Hobbit while the other dealt with the History of Middle Earth, but Guillermo Del Toro has announced that the story of The Hobbit will be split into two films. Del Toro maintains that there is a very natural pause in the story, obvious to anyone who has read the book. No one can agree what this might be, but there seem to be two prevailing theories. One, part one will conclude after the finding of the Ring and the riddle game with Bilbo?s escape from Misty Mountain. The other theory is based on Bilbo?s character arc and stipulates that the movie will end after Bilbo frees the Dwarves from the elvish prison. Or it could be somewhere else.

Although it won?t comprise a second movie, information from the Appandices will be included, meaning that almost anything in on the table. Will we see the orphaned child Aragorn being raised by Elrond? Will we see the White Council, meaning a return of Galadriel and Saruman? Will Prince Legolas be running around Mirkwood Forest? How much Dwarven history will be included? Is there any chance we?ll see Balin reclaim the mines of Moria?

The only person who knew wasn?t telling. Richard Taylor, the creator of WETA, was there, and while he showed a few pictures of himself and Del Toro working on designs for The Hobbit, basically everything but their faces was blurred out, so no hints there. Taylor mostly just gave a rundown of current WETA projects. There was no real exciting news of anything, but he did say that Avatar is ?one of the most visually exciting films ever.?

So basically, after an hour of lsitening I still don?t know anything about The Hobbit, except that it?s probably going to be kickass, which I knew already. I?m excited though. Anyone else ready to jump in line for 2011?

[geek tyrant]

[Mathachew Veteran]

McAvoy can have that odd look of a hobbit. Tennant looks too goofy imho.

[Rappy Veteran]

While out promoting his producing credit on the new Neill Blomkamp sci-fi smash-em-up District 9, Peter Jackson talked about the Guillermo del Toro directed The Hobbit. Here is what he had to say:

Peter Jackson: With The Hobbit

, I really don't want to be too involved in looking over the shoulder of the director. That's why I choose Guillermo. I wanted to produce it so that I didn't have to compete with myself. The Lord of the Rings movies were the best films that I could make. I poured my heart and soul into those films. I thought I gave those films everything, and with The Hobbit, I'd have to go there again. I felt I would be competing against myself. I didn't want to figure out how I shot it all before. I didn't want to figure out how to do it all again. I didn't want to do that. I thought it would be best to figure that all out with someone else. They could figure out a new way to deal with it. It could be fresh. At the same time, I am still involved, so that it feels like the same word.

Can you update us on the status of the Hobbit?

Peter Jackson: I know there is a lot of talk about casting. Well, we are about three weeks from turning over the first Hobbit script to the studio. The process we have been through so far is that we've written a treatment of the two films. We pitched that to the studio, and that went well. We worked through the storyline, and realized we could make one three-hour movie, but it's amazing how much stuff you would loose. The book is what the book is, and we wanted to include all the scenes we wanted to see. We also wanted to add more Gandalf, so we thought two movies was the best way to go. We haven't done any casting. That is the truth. We haven't offered any role to any actor. . Everything is a process, and we don't have a green light. You need a budget. When you offer a film to an actor, you have to have a budget and a script. You also have to have a date. They want to know when they start and when they finish. Its not until we break the film down that we can get a budget and a greenlight. Which we haven't got. We are thinking of releasing the movies in December 2011 and 2012. That is what we are aiming for. But we are only aiming for it, and the studio wont sign off until they are happy. As soon as we finish a first draft, we will figure out what we need as far as the cast.

Have you thought about any body you want to cast?

Peter Jackson: Of course. Anyone that was in the first three movies, we want to have back. We want the actors that originated the characters. That goes without saying. In terms of new characters, we are talking about people. But that would be wrong to bring up here. The key bit of casting will be the dwarves. They are important characters in that they have many personalities. We are hashing that out with the script, and we couldn't lock down who we wanted until we finished the script. Are they the seven dwarfs? We need to know who each one is, and what kind of actor would suit that role. We aren't really thinking about who these people are at this point. This is logistically very difficult.

The Hobbit is set to be released in December of 2011.

[movieweb]

[Rappy Veteran]

# RT @IMDbComicCon: Peter Jackson follows up by saying that they are approx. 2 months from being able to offer Hobbit roles. #comiccon #sdcc36 minutes ago

# RT @IMDbComicCon: Peter Jackson says he is 3-4 weeks from delivering the Hobbit script; not yet greenlit by Warner Bros. #comiccon #sdcc36 minutes ago

[Rappy Veteran]

According to /Film Ian McKellen recently attended an all-night showing of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and gave the crowd an update on The Hobbit.

Ian McKellen was present in person to intro the screenings, and while he only spoke for a very short time, he managed to get the crowd into something of a frenzy. Not only did he confirm that he?ll be coming back as Gandalf, and is expecting to start work on set in March of next year, he also dropped a bit of a casting bombshell. According to McKellen, the starring role of Bilbo Baggins has been successfully cast already. Not only that, but he knows who has the role and he?s sure that the fans will be very, very pleased. McKellen also revealed that he is expecting his own personal copy of ?the script? within the next fortnight.

Last month Peter Jackson said that they won?t be revealing who?ll be playing Bilbo Beggins ?for a little while? as they were still finishing the script. If what Ian McKellen says is correct they must have finished the first draft of the script and are getting the casting under way. Hopefully they?ll start letting us know who they?ve chosen soon!

Source: Filmonic

[Victor Rambo]

I hope its not daniel radcliffe.

[BlackSteyrAug]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomple...-star-says.html

Wonder who it could be.

[Rappy Veteran]

Supposedly, the role of Bilbo Baggins has been cast, though just who will play the fur-footed protagonist hasn't been revealed. Some fans speculate it might be Martin Campbell, who played Tim in the UK version of The Office. [Cinema Blend]

[Zathras5]

Supposedly, the role of Bilbo Baggins has been cast, though just who will play the fur-footed protagonist hasn't been revealed. Some fans speculate it might be Martin Campbell, who played Tim in the UK version of The Office. [Cinema Blend]

That should say Martin Freeman... Martin Campbell is a director.

[Dave_teh_Tech]

Yeah well first W00t to the fact of The Hobbit being made into a movie, but a sequel? Come on now that's just not right!

[Minifig]

Yeah well first W00t to the fact of The Hobbit being made into a movie, but a sequel? Come on now that's just not right!

It's.. not a sequel.

It's sort of a The Hobbit, and then an a "events that led upto" Lotr.

[Rappy Veteran]

Even though Frodo probably won?t turn up in The Hobbit Elijah Wood was an important part of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, so whenever he starts talking about Middle Earth I listen. Elijah recently spoke to IESB.net while promoting 9 and he gave his thoughts on the upcoming films

Q: As Frodo hasn?t been born yet, does that mean you won?t be in The Hobbit?

Elijah: Somebody actually asked me, ?Would you want to play Bilbo?? No, I don?t want to play Bilbo. That would be far too weird. Yeah, Frodo doesn?t exist. He?s not born yet. For awhile, there was talk of a bridge film that was being bantered about, with the notion that the second film that they would make would chronologically bridge the gap between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, so conceivably some of the characters could exist. But, I don?t think that?s going to happen now.

Certainly, if they found a way to make the character work, I would love to be a part of it, but I?m just excited that they?re doing it. I?m so excited that they?re getting so many of the original team back together, creatively, because it?s really I think going to help to keep the continuity of what was already established. I think it?s going to be great. I love Guillermo del Toro. I think he?s amazing.

Q: Do you ever get tired of fans talking about The Lord of the Rings?

Elijah: Really, honestly, I don?t because it?s an experience that I hold so dear, and I love those movies, too. And, not only that, but I also understand why people are excited about them. I?ve got plenty of stories. I could sit around and talk for hours, and I honestly don?t get tired of it. I think I just have perspective on it. I know that, for the rest of my life, I?ll be asked about it, and I accept that. I thank God that I?m going to be asked about something that I think is really genuinely great, for the rest of my life. It was a great experience. Only positive things came out of it, so people can ask about it all they want. so people can ask about it all they want.

Source: Filmonic

[Victor Rambo]

Elijah wood would be so cute for the role of Bilbo baggins. :shifty: :rofl:

[Rappy Veteran]

The Hollywood Reporter adds that this gives MGM enough cash to proceed with its participation in The Hobbit and its sequel:

Concern over MGM's hold on "Hobbit" is at the heart of the activity. In a 50-50 rights partnership with Warner Bros.' New Line unit, two "Hobbit" pics are being developed.

The first "Hobbit" aims for theatrical release in 2011, with Guillermo del Toro on board to direct that and a sequel. Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens and del Toro are writing scripts for both and are expected to deliver the first screenplay by the end of November.

Warners will lead production and distribute at least domestically. For now, the Burbank studio also is covering any immediate expenses.

The article, which you can read in full here, adds that the studio has enough cash flow to stay in business for at least another year. The article does say, however, that management and the lenders realize the studio's various rights on major properties such as "Hobbit," "The Pink Panther" and the lucrative James Bond franchise are key to MGM maintaining a decent market value.

[BlackSteyrAug]

Good, I was hoping financial issues at MGM wouldn't dwarf this movie's chances from being made.

See what I did there.

[Rappy Veteran]

Guillermo Del Toro explains exactly what he'll be adding to Tolkien's original story:

We will be integrating Gandalf's comings and goings [into the script] because he does disappear in the book quite often. So, as opposed to the book, we see where he goes and what happens to him.

That means we'll see the battle against the Necromancer. And the Wargs will have "a certain beauty" so you don't get the message that everyone beautiful is good, and vice versa. And Smaug the dragon will be unique and look unlike any dragon you've ever seen. [Total Film via MTV]

[Victor Rambo]

^Thats very awesome news. :D

[Rappy Veteran]

Brian Cox to Play a Dwarf in The Hobbit?

There?s enough dwarves in The Hobbit to keep us in casting rumours for a year so I?m almost reluctant to set a precedent in reporting on them. Nonetheless, this particular rumour revolves around Brian Cox and therefore makes me pretty darn happy.

There are thirteen dwarves in The Hobbit, travelling with Bilbo and Gandalf, and the most important of them would be Thorin Oakenshield or Balin. While the rumour doesn?t specify quite which dwarf Cox would be playing, it?s hard to imagine an actor of Cox?s calibre as one of the lesser cast. To relegate Cox to a smaller role Guillermo Del Toro, Peter Jackson and company would have to have a pretty amazing cast up their sleeves. Of course, I can?t think of a more eagerly anticipated film in the pipeline right now* so who?s to say there?s any kind of ceiling on what the team might be able to ask for.

The story comes from Aint It Cool?s down under snooper Latauro, who isn?t quite sure if Cox has been conclusively cast or is just being hunted by the filmmakers.

Evidence to support the claim is pretty slim but they did go Scots with Gimli?s accent last time and Cox is a native Scot. He?s certainly could have an appropriate appearance too, with the help of padding, a few prosthetics and a fake beard - as is necessary for just about everybody else in the whole darn cast.

In The Hobbit, Tolkien described Thorin as haughty and officious, neither of which helped him be a particularly good leader. Balin, meanwhile, functioned as the party?s look out dwarf, and spoke on behalf of them all when they were abducted by the Elvenking. It was in Balin?s tomb that Pippin knocked a dwarf?s skeleton down the well and alerted the Orcs in the Fellowship of the Ring movie.

Final casting for Hobbit characters has been promised for months now, with nothing solid forthcoming. Will Cox be amongst the first names officially revealed. I hope so.

[Zab]

excited for my next venture to middle earth.....

[LeviPaige]

Interesting information and how it can be used. Thanks for sharing!

[Rappy Veteran]

Filming For The Hobbit to Start in Mid-Summer 2010

[Raktael]

about bloody time, Bilbo isn't getting any younger!

[Scirwode]

about bloody time, Bilbo isn't getting any younger!

To be fair, Bilbo doesn't look old when he has the Ring, more like "well preserved" :p .

Scirwode

[Rappy Veteran]

"The Hobbit" Pushed Back To 2012?

The other day an interview with Peter Jackson indicated that filming on the two "The Hobbit" films had been pushed back from March to sometime mid-Summer 2010.

Now it seems that delay could push back the film's release. The Wrap reports that while the first film's December 2011 release date is still officially in play, "it looks more likely to be 2012" according to an executive close to the film.

No word on how of if that would affect the second's film release (could be a Matrix sequel style dual release over 2012, or an Xmas 2012/2013 release).

[Valerus]

NOOOOOO