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Earlier this month at the San Diego Comic-Con, director Peter Jackson revealed that he might shoot more footage for his two-part prequel of The Hobbit, arriving this December as The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and December 2013 as The Hobbit: There and Back Again. Even though principal production just wrapped up for The Hobbit, looks like Jackson is headed back for more Middle-Earth. On his Facebook page, Jackson officially announced that The Hobbit will become a trilogy.
read jackson's announcement >> Posted 07.30.12 by Ryan -
Those lucky enough to make into Warner Bros.' panel at the San Diego Comic-Con on Saturday were treated to some footage from the upcoming The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, but Peter Jackson saved yet another surprise for after the panel and press conference: The Hobbit could become a trilogy.
Speaking with ComingSoon, Jackson revealed that he and his wife and co-writer Fran Walsh are talking to Warners and trying to convince them to allow even more footage to be shot. The duo plans on utilizing additional notes from J.R.R. Tolkien that "expand the world" of The Hobbit and, ultimately, split 2013's The Hobbit: There and Back Again into two parts. They would include, amongst other things, explaining why Gandalf disappears for a little while. While Jackson says the possibility is "very premature," the director spoke at length about the prospect, admitting that "I don't want to make a children's story to go into The Lord of the Rings."
read jackson's comments >> Posted 07.16.12 by Ryan -
Those familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien's novels know there is a difference in tone between The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but with director and co-writer Peter Jackson in charge of the two-part adaptation of The Hobbit (with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey set to open next December, followed by The Hobbit: There and Back Again in 2013) and adding in characters from his Lord of the Rings movies regardless of whether they were in Tolkien's original text, it would seem that Jackson was looking to make The Hobbit more like The Lord of the Rings. However, in the recent issue of Total Film (via io9), Jackson revealed that The Hobbit will be very different from The Lord of the Rings.
The Hobbit is very much a children's book and The Lord of the Rings is something else; it's not really aimed at children at all. I realized the characters of the dwarves are the difference. Their energy and disdain of anything politically correct brings a new kind of spirit to it. And that's why I thought, OK, this could be fun!
how will the two Hobbit movies be different >> Posted 12.30.11 by Ryan -
Actress Saoirse Ronan (The Lovely Bones) was first rumored for a part in The Hobbit in January. A month later, Ronan admitted that "nothing has actually been confirmed yet" though she said "I’d love to get a role."
Production on the two-part prequel to the The Lord of the Rings trilogy began in March, but Ronan told The Belfast Telegraph that she won't be appearing in The Hobbit.
It's probably not going to work out with The Hobbit unfortunately because I would have been working for about a year on it and there were other projects that I was very interested in, but [director] Pete [Jackson] and [his producer wife] Fran [Walsh] have been very good about it and very understanding. I'll have to just go back down to New Zealand for a holiday and hang out with the hobbits.
Ronan was recently cast in the lead role of The Host, the adaptation of the novel by Twilight author Stephanie Meyer, which is likely one of those "other projects" Ronan was talking about. The Irish actress was reportedly set to play woodland elf Itaril in The Hobbit. Ronan's replacement in the movie is unknown.
Posted 05.07.11 by Ryan -
Ever since Guillermo del Toro decided to drop out as director of the two installments of the The Hobbit, MGM has been scrambling to name a replacement.
A recent report claimed that Warner Bros. and MGM were "doing all they can" to get Peter Jackson to direct the movie, after Jackson stated he would direct the movies if they couldn't find anybody else. Directors David Dobkin (Wedding Crashers), David Yates (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince), and Brett Ratner (Rush Hour) all circled the project, but none were signed to a contract. Instead, it looks like MGM can't find a replacement after all.
more details on the Jackson decision >> Posted 06.25.10 by Ryan -
Many fans are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Guillermo del Toro's vision of The Hobbit, due in 2012. For the uninitiated, The Hobbit is based on the J. R. R. Tolkien book of same name, which takes place before his Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Several of The Hobbit's characters were featured in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movies — leaving many to wonder if members of Jackson's cast would appear in del Toro's adaptation. According to the director himself, we can expect at least three familiar faces. In an interview with BBC Radio 5, he confirmed (around the 2:10:45 mark) that Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, and Hugo Weaving will reprise their roles as the wizard Gandalf, the treacherous Gollum, and the elf lord Elrond, respectively.
No other casting decisions have been announced. The screenplay was written by del Toro and Jackson, along with Lord of the Rings co-writers Phillipa Boyens and Fran Walsh.
Posted 06.12.09 by reelz