The Hobbit

Does anyone think this could be true?

http://the-hobbit-movie.com/2009/07/...-baggins-role/

I don't know if I've missed any news, but this article stated that Jackson said he wouldn't announce Bilbo's casting until the scripts were finalized.

OMG, after spending the last two months watching Doctor Who (a few times), I would squeal with delight if Tennant got the job. (I'd also be very disappointed if he didn't.) He so won me over as Doctor Who.

Love him.



I'm crossing my fingers this is true. I might even change my avatar....

Really bad (horrible, terrible, flawed) casting idea.

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Peter Jackson has earned the benefit of the doubt. I'll have confidence in whoever he casts up until the moment I see them on screen.

No, it isn't true. Or not yet anyway. Hence the phrase 'tipped for the role Bilbo Baggins'. Unless it's 'confirmed' by a studio that a person has the role... then anything else is complete rubbish.
Besides that article was from July of 2009 and since then, no actor has been called upon to play Bilbo Baggins. The update on the same article even states that no actor has been named.

No love for James Earl Jones?

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He's got a great voice, but I've always imagined Smaug with more of a clever, Devil-in-your-ear kind of voice... not so much a deep, booming one.

So, in other words, less Mufasa and more Scar.

(Also, I'm not sure I'd want Smaug to have the voice of Darth Vader. I don't know.)

Good point. But I was thinking along the lines of Thulsa Doom. No breathing apparatus required.

No Hobbit until late 2012, says president of Warner Bros.

The first of the two Hobbit films may not hit theaters until late in 2012, according to Alan Horn, president and chief operating officer of Warner Bros. This puts the release a full year behind what Jackson and others have openly said: late 2011.

In an interview with Variety, Horn and Toby Emmerich, president of New Line, discussed candidly the importance of The Hobbit and the restructuring they’ve had to do at New Line Cinema.

Hopefully this delay is not due to MGM/UA’s troubles. MGM, bought the rights to The Hobbit back in 1969 and shares the financing rights with New Line. Unfortunately, MGM is auctioning off almost all of its financial assets. The rights to The Hobbit could potentially be sold and who knows what that would do to production.

Source: Filmonic

jrs, thanks for clearing that up for me, since I'm just learning how to read.



I was referring to other reports, such as Ian McKellan's statement that he knew who had been cast as Bilbo. Obviously, I was wondering what is really going on behind the scenes that we don't know about. And now I'm wondering if they did offer the part to someone and it fell through... this seems so mysterious.

And about the delay -- is it because of money? Or is it that the script isn't as good as they want it? Is it because of casting? Why the delay?

My money is on the money issue....

This is sad news. 2012 is a long time away....

Speaking on a conference call this evening about the upcoming thriller, "Splice," Guillermo del Toro provided some blunt answers regarding the nebulous start date of the long-awaited adaptation of "The Hobbit."

"There cannot be any start date until the MGM situation gets resolved because they hold considerable portion of the rights," del Toro says. "It's impossible to take a unilateral decision to give the greenlight to proceed. We really believe that the date will be known after they fact of MGM's fate. Whether they stay or get supported or get some of the rights.

Both MGM and Warner Bros. have rights to adapt "The Hobbit," a production that will be spearheaded by "Lord of the Rings" maestro Peter Jackson as producer and Del Toro as the film's writer/director. It appears to be some growing frustration about the scenario from the filmmaker.

"We have been caught in a very tangled negotiation," del Toro. "Now I have been on the project for nearly two years. We have designed all the creatures, the sets, the wardrobe, animatics and planned action sequences and we are very, very prepared for when it is finally triggered. We don't know anything until MGM is solved."

MGM recently received a fifth extension on its $3.7 billion debt from its creditors earlier this month. The due date is now July 14. The studio has put the next James Bond movie on hold and suspended new development until either new financing or a new owner comes on board.

Del Toro refuted that the film has been greenlit, obviously not possible if they are still waiting on MGM, and also commented on the recurring 3-D rumors.

"3-D has been discussed once in the room," del Toro says. "The budget and the schedule and the cost of the film the number of days it would take to shoot without looking toward 3-D. Is there a chance it will become 3-D in the future? Right now it's not being planned as such."

Source: Hitfix

Del Toro drops.

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I've just accepted that it's never going to happen, and if it does, then it will be a pleasant surprise.

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"Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously."

I was sad when I heard Del Toro was committing to The Hobbit simply cos I thought that would be years and years he'd be out of the game making Lord of The Rings look alikes, so I'm happy now hearing that news. Hope he goes back to giving us some more beauties of his own invention as in Pans Labyrinth and The Devils Backbone.

Well played, meatwad.

Anyway, this is obviously terrible news. del Toro was a fantastic choice who would've brought a very interesting aesthetic to things and, by all accounts, would've also honored the look and feel of the previous films in a way that felt consistent. He was basically the perfect non-Peter Jackson choice, so I'm pretty sad about this, but I can't really blame him. Still, gutsy move...he's established and can probably make (more or less) the films he wants, but this would've launched him into the upper straosphere of directors, and it would've done so with a film and a world that suited his sensibilities almost comically well. Just as he was the perfect non-Jackson choice, this was the perfect step up for him.

So, sad.

That said, I do think this'll happen; there's too much money to be made, and too much work has already been done in advance. I'm skeptical that Jackson will swoop in and replace him, but obviously that'd be the best possible outcome of all this.

More likely, I think, is that they get someone less well known who's willing to come in and pick up where del Toro left off without starting anything over, and who won't mind Jackson taking a much more hands-on role to compensate for the change. I still have high hopes for this, particularly if that's how it plays out.

I doubt a studio would be willing to hand this over to an unknown, but Jackson's director pick for Halo didn't do bad with District 9 - so maybe he can do some convincing.

Yeah, if Jackson hand-picks him, I think it'll be okay. And "unknowns" can vary in experience and quality. I just mean someone much lesser-known, because they really can't afford to hire someone who won't roll with whatever preparatory work is already in place. If Jackson takes a more hands-on role as producer, too, I think it'll be fine.

http://apnews1.iwon.com//article/201...D9G1MJPG0.html

Oddly, today's story doesn't mention Jackson directing the movie now, unless I missed something.... Sounds like we're just in a Hobbit limbo for a while till things get sorted out.

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Thanks, meat, for that link.

Peter Jackson Confirms That The Hobbit Could Shoot In November (in 3-D?)... And He May Direct It!!!

Peter Jackson has confirmed that November would be the earliest that The Hobbit could being shooting.

Furter, Jackson spoke about the budget of the movie: And in a not so surprising move, Jackson has stepped forward to say that he would take over the reins of directing the movie if need be - if it can be worked out with other commitments:

So, in the end it sounds like there is a possibility of Peter Jackson directing The Hobbit in 3D. It was originally announced in 2007..now it may actually come true.

Source: Marketsaw