The Hobbit

[JMora]

Peter Jackson will be making & directing The Hobbit after all. Various sources say today that MGM and Warner Bros. have negotiated a deal to finance the two Hobbit films, and that pending the resolution of labor issues, the shoot is tentatively scheduled to get underway in February, with Peter Jackson officially confirmed as director.

There are reports that vaguely conflict on the details. The Wrap reports the film is greenlit and will shoot in February but the LA Times says that MGM and Warners have agreed to move forward in February, but that the official green light time frame hasn’t been set because of lingering "labor issues" surrounding the film. (Recall that a coalition of small Kiwi and Australian actors’ organizations is trying to leverage the production for a new residuals deal.)

The paper also says that MGM doesn’t actually have there share of the money, hence the studio is bankrupt and up for sale but they supposedly set up a plan. Stage one: talk to outside investors, which may potentially include other studios. Stage two is to borrow the money from Warners but what’s important is that all the existing studio partners agree on things right now.

Source: ‘The Hobbit’ Gets The Green Light! Peter Jackson And Co. Reportedly Headed Back To Middle-Earth MTV Movies Blog

[sir clinksalot]

I'll believe it when I see it.

[Barbossa]

If the Hobbit is going ahead... does this mean 007 will get a green light soon as well?

[JMora]

If the Hobbit is going ahead... does this mean 007 will get a green light soon as well?

No news... yet.

[JMora]

Things are moving along... It seems MGM found a bank that will able to help them finance The Hobbit but in agreement with Warner Bros., Warner will now own most of the rights, so I guess MGM looses here, and New Line Cinema is also helping this project move along.

Today it was made official, Peter Jackson is directing The Hobbit and with production starting February 2011. Keep in mind, Jackson and his WingNut studio have been in pre-preduction for the past few months.

In addition, Martin Freeman has been hired to play Bilbo Baggins, it seems he's able to fit The Hobbit schedule with his current BBC tv series. Freeman also says he thinks he would be good for the part rather than a younger actor (Freeman is 39) since Bilbo isn’t a kid in the book. “Absolutely, because Bilbo isn’t 20 at this stage of the story,” he said.

The Hobbit will be two films, and Jackson said he will make a different spin on it but not far fetched from the core of the story, and it will of course be in 3D. No surprise, Sir Ian McKellen McKellen and Andy Serkis are reprising their roles as Gandalf and Gollum. The Hobbit (Part 1) drops Decemeber 2012, and The Hobbit (Part 2) drops December 2013.

Sources:Peter Jackson to officially direct 'The Hobbit' | EW.com
Jackson casts his net worldwide for Hobbit cast - National - NZ Herald News

Meantime...
YouTube - Hobbit Song
LOL

[JFSebastian]

This is great news. I'm confused as to why they're making two films out of it though. It's the smallest book of the series, and the others were made successfully into one movie (esp. extended editions), so it seems like one long movie would suffice. I'm not complaining, it just sucks to have to wait a year in between.

[Barbossa]

Meantime...
YouTube - Hobbit Song
LOL

C'mon, every one knows this is the one true Hobbit song...

YouTube - Leonard Nimoy's Ballad of Bilbo Baggins

[krystledm]

I love the Nimoy song! It's just....fun?

[JMora]

Peter Jackson, Warner Bros. will move the production of The Hobbit out of New Zealand because of actors’ union disputes in New Zealand (controlled by Australia film unions) to a yet to be disclosed new shooting location in Europe. Warner Bros. doesn't want to risk the $500 million budget.

Source: Hobbit looks headed overseas | Stuff.co.nz

[krystledm]

Horrible move! New Zealand is Middle Earth. I would rather have them wait to make it than go somewhere else.

[JMora]

Casting news...

Peter Jackson made an official announcement about who will appear in The Hobbit. He has confirmed Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins, taking over the role originated by Ian Holm in The Lord of the Rings.

Richard Armitage (MI-5, Captain America) as Thorin Oakenshield, leader of the Dwarves, whose grandfather ruled the Lonely Mountain settlement destroyed by Smaug.

Aidan Turner (Being Human) and Rob Kazinsky (EastEnders) as Kili and Fili, nephews of Thorin.

Graham McTavish (Secretariat) as Dwalin, blue-bearded, first to arrive at the home of Bilbo Baggins.

John Callen as Oin, skillful fire-maker. Brother of Gloin.

Stephen Hunter (All Saints) as Bombur, the fat, sleepy and slow member of Thorin’s company.

Mark Hadlow (King Kong) as Dori, strongest of the Dwarves, who carries Bilbo on his back at one point.

Peter Hambleton (The Strip) as Gloin, brother of Oin, initially suspicious of Bilbo’s worth, but eventually convinced. Father of Gimli from The Lord of the Rings.

Source:
Peter Jackson Makes First Hobbit Casting Choices

[mycroft16]

This is great news. I'm confused as to why they're making two films out of it though. It's the smallest book of the series, and the others were made successfully into one movie (esp. extended editions), so it seems like one long movie would suffice. I'm not complaining, it just sucks to have to wait a year in between.

Originally it was going to be the Hobbit and then the 60 years between the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. Then they said it wasn't going to be that way... so now I'm not certain. I think it will still be more or less that. Now that it's been greenlit and casting announcements are being made, we should get more news about this. Hopefully the rest of the unions grow up and get over things and allow the movie to be made where it should be made, NZ.

[JMora]

Nice to see he gained some weight back...
YouTube - Close Up: The Battle for The Hobbit

[JMora]

Look's like Pirates Of The Caribbean film: At World's End, current record of the costliest film, carrying a price tag of $300 million, has been broken by the budget of The Hobbit. The two-part adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy novel, starring Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage and Sir Ian McKellen, is said to be budgeted at $500 million. The record for the most expensive movie EVER made.

It is two films though, divide the 500 by two, you get $250 million for each film.

Source: Jackson May Move $500 Million `Hobbit' Film From New Zealand Amid Dispute - Bloomberg

[mycroft16]

Well, New Zealand gets to keep the Hobbit! Such a good thing. Congrats to all the Kiwi's who fought hard and rallied to keep it!