"The Hobbit" is beginning production in February. Peter Jackson will be directing and producing the 2 part sequel. Huzzah!
http://www.imdb.com/news/ni4941178/
Thanks Craigmeister, I just read this myself and was going to post it before I saw you did. It's about time. For all you Tolkien fans, the Hobbit movie that has been talked about for some years now has finally gotten the go ahead. Check out this second link below for more info.
http://movies.yahoo.com/feature/wrap-hobbit-greenlight.html
Clisto
I'm glad they're finally getting around to it--it's about time! Thanks for the intel Clisto and Craigmeister!
I always knew that they would eventually come around to making it, there was too much money made on the other movies to keep them away. Let's hope that Peter Jackson does not take too much artistic licence with the story and that he produces something that we will all be happy with. I will be looking for Beorn and hope that they will work Tom Bombadil in as well...
I agree, but as movie making always goes, they keep some things out due to time. But, then they will resell the Extended version with additional things later.
It's sad to think that Peter Jackson might be changing the story to appeal to theater audiences. Well at least as much as he is rumored to be doing so, bring back characters not in the book, making it much darker, etc. I remember when the Lord of The Rings came I read an article about Peter Jackson and the front page had him sitting in Bilbo's chair smoking a pipe, the title was something akin to no bigger tolkien fan. I hope he remembers that and doesn't change too much. Oh well still looking forward to it!
Yay! I hope they dont deviate TOO much from the original story....
Well, the Hobbit is a much simpler story than the Lord of the Rings...which was screwed up royally, IMO. Yeah, it may have worked for the screen, but Tolkien wrote LotR in a certain fashion, based on how Anglo-Saxon epics like Beowulf (and other Germanic epics, but especially Beowulf) were written--it has a balance to it that the movies have lost. I'm less concerned with the Hobbit being messed about with--yes, it would be bad, but it's not the masterpiece that LotR is... $0.02
I know that Sylvestery McCoy (the 7th Dr Who) is rumored to play Radagast the Brown, who wasn't in the Hobbit (was in LotR, but cut from the movie)...I'm thinking he'll be put in with Beorn or something. Hopefully Tom Bombadil will be put in, though I haven't heard anything about that character.
That does explain some of the comments that my friends at Weta were saying. If the R&D they have been doing to improve how they did some of the LOTR stuff is applied to what they are going to do for the Hobbit.... it is going to be even more viusally stunning than LOTR.
For some reason I thought they were already filming the Hobbet and it was to come out some time in late 2011.
No, there has been a lot of problems in pre-production...changes in the director, for one. Jackson did not intend to direct originally. Guillermo del Toro was offered the post. A threatened boycott has also stirred up a lot of problems. It may end up not being shot in New Zealand because of that. Although the boycott was averted, the studio is nervous about keeping the production there.
Release date is tentatively December 2012 for the first part.
Thought everyone might be interested in this bit of news posted today by BBC News:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-11617860
It confirms Merlin's comments about "a lot of problems." All I can say is, I hope the film gets made!
MGM filed for bankruptcy yesterday, but supposedly have a plan in place for their half of the estimated $550 million budget. Sign of the times, I suppose...
To quote the Pink Pirate, "If the Hobbit was filmed anywhere else it would have killed the NZ film industry." Now they have more tax insentives and other such things if it will be filmed there. Ok I know how tired of LOTRs New Zelandards are BUT they can not argue how much revenue, and attention it has brought it country the size of California.
I know one of the big things was that when LOTR's was shot they didn't have unions involved. I mean look at Sean Asten he even commented on it. His mum Patty Duke is on the Screen Actor's Guild board of directors. He grew up living with the acting unions. Then to work 10 years on a project that didn't have them... was quite the eye opener.
I am curious how this will play out. And it is fun to actually have friends working on the project. Hee ;D They can not tell me anything but seeing them giddy over something is nice.
LadyStitch, that is really cool that you know people from WETA! Didn't they do work on Narnia too? (Can't wait to see "Dawn Treader", it looks amazing!)
http://blog.movies.yahoo.com/blog/256-the-hobbit-is-making-room-for-some-lord-of-the-rings-characters
Most of the casting is done....can't wait to see it
Filming started on "The Hobbit" this week. Huzzah!
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/The-Hobbit-Begins-Filming-First-Photo-From-The-New-Zealand-Set-23764.html
For those of you on Facebook, be sure and "Like" Peter Jackson's page. He is blogging about the production and even posted a cool video today. It'll make you smile! :)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Peter-Jackson/141884481557
is anything new out there on the hobbit filming?